Sherlock Holmes: A Mystery to Solved

Rating: 7/10 (27 December 2009)

As the Christmas festivities come to a close, other opportunities open up in the world of theatrical entertainment, with the release of Sherlock Homes starring Robert Downy Jr., Jude Law, and Rachel McAdams. Yet with this installment of Holmes, after so many before have been a delightful and true immersion into the pages of creator Arthur Conan Doyle, has become like so many movies of this generation; an action thriller full of explosions and special effects.
The plot takes us out of the original stories, and into a time where Holmes (Downy) has become despondent from a lack of cases, after solving his latest one in the opening of the movie. Watson (Law) is preparing to move out of 221B Baker Street to consider marriage. Although this is obviously putting strain on the dynamic duo's relationship, they come back together for come more time to finish a case. It seems that there last assignment as risen from the grave and has promised death and a new regime for both Britain and the world.
While the plot has its moments in the terms of a Sherlock Holms adventure, it seems too stretched, mainly due to the undue amount of action. The eclectic Holmes, a man wrapped in intrigue, deduction and mental prowess, has been transformed into a fist fighting, running and gunning hero. Holmes has left behind what made him unique and has created this early 19th century Batman that everyone knows about. The only redeeming quality of this new installment of Holmes is how Downy was about to bring the right personality to the character. His quick and subtle reactions to any situation in combination with how Downey brings to the table an intellect that the movie can't contain.
Still, the biggest issues that come into play are all of the action sequences and explosions. Director Guy Ritchie, who has directed other movies like Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, doesn't create this world out of a malicious intent to ruin the view of Doyle, rather just make everything he touches fun. This is a holiday movie and with this type of cast, he makes it fun. Top his credit, he does in fact do that and well, once you forget the fact that this is supposed to be a man sleuthing and not breaking ribs and running through balls of fire.
I will have to give it to Ritchie, in his choice of actors for their respected parts. They fit into their characters exceptionally well and easily, though I will say that the constant undertone of homoeroticism between the characters was not needed in the least. Even bringing in McAdams, who is an amazing and beautiful actress in her part as Irene Adler (the only one to get away from Holmes and win his love) to bring in a female attraction, it still does not dampen it enough. We get it; there is something possibly between the duo. You don't need to make it blatantly obvious in every scene.
The movie overall is something you watch to have a nice little action movie, something of a smarter Die Hard, only with less grunge Americanism and a heightened sense of courtesy. Just keep in mind that if you are walking in for a true detective movie, you will be slightly disappointed by cavalcade of destruction that follows Holmes