A sheer delight, full of laughs, thrills, and a heap of fun.

Rating: 8/10 (29 January 2010)

Guy Ritchie's take on the classic stories from Arthur Conan Doyle is most pleasurable, taking place in a perfectly captured atmospheric old London setting.
It sees well-known characters Sherlock Holmes (a masterful Robert Downey Jr.) and his partner Dr. John Watson (a very winsome Jude Law) facing a whole host of foes and challenges.
Watson is set to marry the lovely Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), an idea that Holmes is unsettled by, but this is the least of his problems.
The dark and mysterious Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong makes the most of his screen time, being even more sinister than he was in Stardust) is terrorising the town, claiming to be an immortal sorcerer who will cause unimaginable destruction unless parliament succumbs to his rule.
An inept and corrupt police force, led by the awful Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan) is constantly getting in Holmes' way, and there are some among them who have loyalty to Blackwood.
Though undeniably their greatest obstacle is the beautiful but sneaky Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams at her most alluring) who shares an infatuation with Holmes, yet Blackwood also has a hold on her.
The action sequences are gratifyingly modest and therefore much more engaging, involving only the conflicts of a few characters.
What is also admirable is the fact that it is made easy to follow despite the audience not being as sharp-eyed and ingenious as Holmes The cast is absolutely sensational, including the supporting actors that include Robert Maillet and James Fox. McAdams and Strong have an enormous impact with their marvellously theatrical performances, while Law and Downey Jr. play their parts with a forceful and effective subtlety that is even better.
The film is a sheer delight, full of laughs, thrills, and a heap of fun.