Not Exactly Elementary

Rating: 8/10 (31 December 2009)

In Director Guy Ritchie's vision renowned detective Sherlock Holmes is a martial artist and extreme intellect. Surprisingly, Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" is more action movie than moody whodunit piece. In some ways this is strangely entertaining seeing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as an action buddy movie. Both Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are up to the task as Holmes and Watson. Downey is amazing as Sherlock Holmes embodying an aloofness, keen intellect, and physicality in the role. Law is charismatic, comical, and dashing as Watson. Their friendship is almost marriage like with the intermittent bickering and underlying love for each other. Which glaringly points to forced romance involving Holmes's former love thief Irene Adler played by Rachel McAdams. I am a fan of McAdams; however, her character seems more plot device and narrative foreshadowing of Holmes's greatest nemesis.
The story and screenplay by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg, and Lionel Wigram surrounds the evil Lord Blackwood (malevolent Mark Strong), who apparently returns from the dead to end the world as we know it. So it is up to Holmes and Watson to foil the evil and powerful Blackwood. Having these many writers involved is usually not a coherently good sign. At times it is not.
In the opening sequence Holmes dispatches Blackwood's henchman with martial arts precision. Apparently, Holmes's vast knowledge of human anatomy and his brawling avocation make him a dangerous marital artist. According to Ritchie this resembles the Doyle character. Watson is also a formidable fighter, despite his war injury. Watson wields his cane as a deadly weapon itself. Downey got shredded for the movie, and Law looks lean and strong.
In "Sherlock Holmes" Holmes and Watson apprehend Lord Blackwood before he murders another young girl in a ceremonial Black Arts sacrifice. Blackwood is sentenced to be hanged. His last request is a visit from Holmes. He warns Holmes, "You must widen your gaze" Apparently, not everything is as it seems. Lord Blackwood seemingly returns from the dead to exact his revenge. The perplexed Holmes seeks to uncover the truth.
That supernatural storyline is engaging. What is really entertaining is the "Odd Couple" storyline of roommates Holmes and Watson. Turns out, Watson is engaged to capable and beautiful Mary Morstan (strong Kelly Reilly); thus, threatening Holmes's relationship to Watson. Downey is at his arrogantly funny best as he exposes Mary at dinner with Watson. At about the same time Irene (McAdams) shows up enrolling the aid of Holmes to find a man. Irene may be blackmailed into doing so—all very mysterious.
There are a lot of loose threads throughout "Sherlock Holmes" aside from the Blackwood storyline. Even that one is "elementary" in the words of the famous detective. Downey and Law however, engage and compel throughout. Often at odds, we know that their life and death bond is one of respect and love. That shameless bravado and the charisma of Downey and Law make "Sherlock Holmes" worth watching. And we can look forward to Sherlock Holmes's greatest nemesis in the sequel, perhaps.