Really good new interpretation, but classicists may be turned-off

Rating: 8/10 (10 January 2010)

Sherlock Holmes was the first of two "big" new releases we've seen in a while. We've loved Robert Downey, Jr. in many of his prior roles, and he did not disappoint in this one. His Holmes is not your great-grandfather's–no deerstalker hat, no Meerschaum pipe, but a wicked ability to assess how to take apart an opponent in an instant, and a much more wicked sense of humor. If you didn't like the latest James Bond flick, with the complaints about turning Bond into an action hero, you really won't like this Holmes. Downey's Holmes is far more physical than prior Holmes, whether it's going hand- to-hand with villains to rescue the damsel in distress, or in a boxing ring (no gloves, no Marquess of Queensbury rules). Jude Law (second time of the night) plays the youngest and most exuberant Dr. Watson in the franchise's history. Except for Inspector Lestrade, almost all the other main characters are new to this script.
This is the most athletic and physical Holmes in the long history of the character. He jumps, kicks, shoots, finds traps, and annoys and charms the female characters by turns. It's the fastest-paced Holmes as well; not a roller-coaster like National Treasure, but more evenly paced like Raiders of the Lost Ark. The period is a return to the late 1800s; the monarch is a queen, the period is after the U.S. Civil War (mentioned in the film), and the Tower Bridge is still visibly under construction. The Ripper murders may be part of the plot by implication, but are not directly mentioned in the script. London is dirty, noisy, and almost entirely populated by criminals and ne'er-do-wells of all stripes. It's a great setting for this plot.
There's a little too much invasion of modern pseudo-technology in this film for my taste, and most of it was unnecessary to the story. The story itself is only as strong as most of the others in the history of the character. There is a needless distracting side-plot which adds a character and appears to be there just to set up the opportunity for a sequel. Even so, this was a really entertaining film that probably should be seen on a big screen, although no harm in going to a matinée or using a discount pass.