A Great Surprise

Rating: 9/10 (22 April 2011)

I (like most people) saw the trailer for this movie and saw a great literary character in a ridiculous action flick. I predicted action clichés and poor story lines that any idiot could follow, with one clever little twist at the end when Holmes (inevitably) figures it out.
I was pleasantly surprised and exceptionally pleased when I actually saw the movie. Yes, there are a lot of action sequences, but they don't distract too much from the plot, and even they are integrated into this whole new world of Sherlock Holmes. We really see the world as someone like Holmes would see it; with compulsive attention to those little details Holmes is so famous for noticing, everywhere. We understand why he's so hard to work with, and why he spends so little time in the outside world. Every time Holmes opens his mouth, there's a lot of thought put into what he says. A big round of applause goes to Robert Downey Jr., an incredible actor who is finally getting the kind of recognition he deserves. It may be a mainstream role, but you can still see that a lot of work went into his interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. He's quirky, he's odd, he's as antisocial as they come (but Lord knows it's not from shyness), and he's got the fastest mind of any movie character I've ever seen. Walking out of this movie, I was just convinced that Sherlock Holmes was the Greatest Detective in history; that there was no case he could not solve.
Praise also goes to Jude Law as Dr. Watson, but not the bumbling Watson we all think of. Law makes a perfect foil to Downey, both as a character and as an actor. Law is straightforward, a versatile actor, although not quite a great actor. He sticks to formality as a general rule, and tries to make sure everyone else does. He's very professional and thus very marketable. Downey is well known for being unpredictable and a bit crazy, as well as quirky through the nose. We watch him to see how above-and-beyond he'll go. They make a perfect team, on and off screen.
This is an exceptionally entertaining film, and believe me when I say you'll remember the characters and the plot more than the action sequences.