Sherlock Holmes For 21st Century Filmgoing Audience!

Rating: Null/10 (27 July 2015)

Incredibly stylish, wonderfully balanced & thoroughly entertaining, Guy Ritchie's on-screen adaptation of one of literature's greatest creations is a smooth blend of kinetic direction, deft writing & solid performances that may not go down well with the die-hard fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but it nonetheless succeeds as an impressive cinema of its year that manages to get many things right, if not all.
Set in 1891, Sherlock Holmes follows the adventures of its titular character & his colleague, Dr. Watson, as they successfully apprehend the aristocratic serial killer & occult practitioner Lord Blackwood to close their latest case. But when Blackwood's body disappears from his grave, Holmes is hired by a secret society to investigate into the matter, only to discover that his nemesis has been planning a more sinister plot all along.
Directed by Guy Ritchie, Sherlock Holmes carries all his trademarks whether it's the hyper- stylised narration, intersecting story lines, exquisite use of wit, frequent jump cuts or active camera-work and is possibly the most visually striking work of his filmmaking career. It also marks the first time that Ritchie didn't write the script for a film he directed but it doesn't make much difference for the plot & characters do carry a certain depth.
Production design team does a stellar job in coming up with period set pieces that nicely reflect the timeline this film is set in yet carry a modern feel to it. Cinematography makes fab use of its camera for it employs a number of tricks from slow-mo shots to high-speed photography to capture its drama & action. Editing keeps the narrative tight & gripping for the most part, and Hans Zimmer's score is simply magnificent for it enhances the entire experience by a great extent.
Coming to the performances, Sherlock Holmes features an outstanding cast in Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Mark Strong & Rachel McAdams, and their contributions certainly lift the film up. Downey Jr. further solidifies his star status by delivering a charismatic performance in the coveted role of Sherlock Holmes. Law also impresses as Dr. Watson and his chemistry with Downey Jr. is a treat to watch. Strong is dependable as always while McAdams does nicely in her role of Irene Adler; Holmes' former adversary.
On an overall scale, Sherlock Holmes may not be the best transition of literature's greatest detective on the film canvas but it nonetheless succeeds as one deliciously humoured & downright fun flick that packs in an action-packed plot, captivating premise & interesting characters and benefits a lot from Ritchie's visual flair, Downey Jr.'s magnetic charm & Hans Zimmer's splendid score. Offering a slightly modified take on the popular figure to make the film more accessible to modern mainstream audience, Sherlock Holmes is one highly amusing & rollicking ride that comes delightfully recommended.