Anything But Elementary

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2010)

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Fresh from the superbly crafted RocknRolla, Guy Ritchie churns out a hugely entertaining, high voltage thrill ride which is by far the most superior popcorn movie of the year.
After the capture and execution of criminal mastermind Lord Blackwood, reports surface that the evil genius has somehow risen from the grave. With Watson in tow Sherlock Holmes sets about solving a series of murders somehow related to the case whilst dealing with an old flame who has mysteriously re-entered his life.
Over the course of the film every pre-conceived notion you thought you had about Holmes mythology flies out the door (for the better i might add) as Ritchie's vision contains far more laughs, action and thrills than poor old Basil Rathbone or any other Holmes imitator could ever hope to imagine. For want of a better word Holmes and Watson kick butt, majorly. Not many directors do action better than Guy Ritchie and the sequences in the film has his unique stamp all over them.
The film gets off to a cracking good start, both fast paced and intriguing. Unfortunately it begins to meander during the middle as the increasing number of elements to the case become more and more convoluted. The film also spends more time setting up for a sequel than other movie in recent memory. The faceless villain Moriarty, who is all set to be Holmes next nemesis, nearly gets as much screen time as Lord Blackwood! Despite the poorly paced second half, the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law is enough to keep you watching.
Downey Jr makes the role of the infamous detective all his own whilst retaining much of what made Holmes so special in the first place; superior intellect,wit, arrogance and petulance. Physically Downey Jr is about as different as you can get from the popular yet unsubstantiated Holmes iconography that we are usually presented with in adaptions. Yet this new Holmes is so darn likable that you really wouldn't want him any other way. Jude Law is also a far cry from the image of the balding, middle aged doctor we usually associate with Watson. Law invigorates the role, playing seamlessly off Downey Jr. Their relationship is reminiscent of the great buddy films of yesteryear and is one of the highlights of the movie.
The supporting cast does not fare as well. The usually scene stealing Mark Strong is kind of a ho-hum villain. We do not spend enough time with his character or know enough about him to consider him a real threat, especially after sitting through endless acts of genius by Holmes, you never really fear that he will get the better of the wonder detective. Rachel McAdams is also miscast as Irene Adler, Holmes love interest and rival. Adams does not possess the maturity in her performance to make you feel as though she is the street savvy, criminal genius that she is made out to be.
The look of the film is fantastic. Cinematographer Philippe Rousselot does a superb job at capturing 19th century London in all it's glory; from the docks, to the gritty mean streets to even Buckingham Palace, the film is rich in colour and authenticity. Ritchie's frequent editor James Herbert is back, bringing with him the techniques that make the film look typically Ritchie esquire. From the action sequences to the interweaving of past and present timelines, the editing is top shelf. To round of the high quality productions is super composer Hans Zimmer's musical score, which is one of the best of the year and adds to the overall excitement of the picture.
So if your in the mood for a rollicking, fun filled adventure flick that is anything but elementary, you won't do much better than Sherlock Holmes this holiday season