Decent Actioner

Rating: 6/10 (26 May 2010)

As a fluffy little actioner this was a passable film, but I abhor the treatment of the source material. The adversarial relationship between Holmes and Watson is intolerable. It's so distracting, not to mention, the diametric opposite condition depicted in the source material. Moreover, Holmes and Watson, within the source material, are most assuredly not distinct characters. These are the two halves of the same man, and therefore, Watson and Holmes simply can't be portrayed separately. Besides which, I don't see any reason to betray the source material in order to depict this stupid conflict as it goes absolutely nowhere, and has zero to do with the plot. Nah, this alone makes the film virtually unwatchable, and has severely damaged my 'like' of Guy Ritchie. I mean, Rock n Rola was a tight film, his best to date. This pig was a disaster.
Law and Downey had fantastic chemistry here. What the heck were 'they' thinking pitting them against one and other? Mark Strong continues to impress, is there anything he can't do? Is there a large-scale film he HASN'T been in this last decade? The Mary Morstan character played by actor Kelly Reilly was a total bust and her appearance was gratefully brief. Who is this chick? I don't usually pick on Hollywood types about their appearance but that is one ugly woman. Yeah, like a bow-wow like that could land a Doctor as handsome Law plays the character. Another massive distraction. Plus, I spent the whole time wincing at the scenes she tries to make an appearance in, and she's so clearly totally overwhelmed by Downey and Law she's got no business on a set with them. McAdams bordered on this as well. Star-struck much, ladies? And lastly, how she managed it I'll never know, but that was the worst fake-British accent ever!! Only wait! Reilly's British!! Am I the only one who thought her accent sounded like a 13 year old girl playing 'lady' with her teddy bear? Just wrong.
The conflict between Holmes and Watson isn't the only straight miss either. Sherlock Holmes has always been portrayed as a fastidiously neat, and tidy fellow. This quasi-Bohemian treatment was just dumb. Clinical scientific methodology simply doesn't work for slobs. Period. Wouldn't have even had to go there if they'd left the source material alone, remember, Watson is SUPPOSED to be the alter-ego.
Anyway, I thought Law, Downey, Strong, and McAdams were all on their A- game here. No complaints there. I suppose the film looked alright too, kudos Ritchie. But they simply strayed too far from source material and cast the thing just all wrong. Future mental note: When depicting one of English-lit's most famous fictitious characters, might want to get an Englishman to play the part. Duh.
This could have been the identical flick without all the crapping all over the source material folks. This 'reboot' trend will hopefully die a painful death soon.