Sherlock the buffoon.

Rating: 3/10 (7 January 2010)

The name Sherlock Holmes evokes an image of a suave, debonair man of impeccable taste and stalwart character, and then there is this movie which offers a new take on the Sherlock Holmes persona, this time as a frumpish, mumbling, annoying buffoon. True, Sherlock does display fleeting moments of lucidity and genius but for the most part he is a mess. Yet the audience is asked to believe that this broken down Scotland Yard reject can solve complex crimes, beat up the toughest toughs and be involved with a beautiful woman, all of this without any evidence that he actually baths. The only credible part of the movie is the scene where the audience finds out that Holmes hasn't been out of his apartment in weeks, but that is where Sherlock Holmes belongs because on the street he is merely a nuisance, and an annoying nuisance at that. There is no way that this Sherlock Holmes could possibly defeat Professor Moriarity. Holmes is so befuddled that at times he sounds incoherent yet the audience is asked to believe that this man, who at one point manages to get himself shackled to a bed, can actually solve crimes when he has hard time just leaving his apartment. The only thing bleaker than Holmes is London itself. The city is dreary, filthy, dismal and probably reeking with odors, a perfect setting for this downtrodden Holmes and his prissy companion Dr. Watson. Now regarding Dr. Watson .... I'll leave that alone for now.