amusing pastime

Rating: 6/10 (22 December 2009)

I had the opportunity to sit through an avant premiere here in Belgium -- organized as a part of the music for life anti-malaria-rally. The movie started with some delay, as everyone was required to hand in their cellphones before entering (wtf?!) -- as if anyone would want to watch crappy pictures or video recordings made on one of these. Anyway, the theater was packed with a fairly young crowd, and everyone seemed to be rather quiet. It started off rather unsharp and dark, and went on like this for the remainder. How easy it is to get spoiled by the many digital titles these days. Quite a contrast with the one I saw just last week: Avatar.
The movie has a bit of everything, humor, some adventure, a bit of action, mystery; but I would not call it perfectly balanced as one of the other reviews here does. Feels more of the opposite actually.
Robert Downey Jr is too hip in his role of an analytical and logical detective. Jude Law does however do a better job playing the sidekick, Watson. Together, they go from place to place, arriving right on time, in the right spot.
We don't get to know that much of any of the characters in the picture. Aside from his apparent brilliance, we just don't know why Holmes is that messed up. Nor why there is this constant like-dislike thing between Watson and Holmes. We're just presented with a rather simple story of the both trying to save London, England, and the world from a mad man with supposedly dark magic powers.
Some of the Holmes fighting scenes were quite nice, showing of his brilliant analytic mind in his, surprisingly, strong body. But they didn't serve any purpose in the movie beyond making that point. Other action scenes just involve some pushing and pulling, some missed gunfire, and a totally unbelievable contraption involving stored current.
Overall, a dark storyline told by a rather dark picture, and yeah, Guy Ritchie seems to have a thing for dags.. err dogs. The effects succeed in showing a really old London, but at times they just break down. And not a single "Elementary, dear Watson" ! I'm shocked.