The latest incarnation of Holmes is exciting and interesting.

Rating: 7/10 (26 December 2009)

Guy Ritchie's latest is a little disappointing from time to time yet is still an overall success. When focussing on the problem-solving it is nothing less than enthralling. Holmes and Watson cleverly deduce their way through the clues with sharp dialogue and crackling banter, and on occasion, a fist fight that packs a wallop. Ritchie proves himself a worthy director when it comes to a more conventional film, his normal flashiness put aside for greater attention to detail and longer-lasting shots. However, where it tends to go wrong is in the large-scale sequences. The CGI-driven set pieces are generally seamless, but they just feel out of place. A duel atop London's Tower Bridge – mid-construction – is a major example of the unnecessary enormity given to the action scenes.
Robert Downey Jr is clearly at the top of his game. The last few years has seen him become one of the finest actors in the industry, with roles in quality pictures like A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, A Scanner Darkly, Zodiac, Iron Man, Tropic Thunder and now Sherlock Holmes. Here he gives a modernised Holmes the perfect balance of intellect and wit, to keep the long-standing fans happy, and arrogance and brashness, to rope in a new horde of followers. Downey's take on one of Britain's most enduring detectives holds the entire movie in good stead, had he misfired it could have been an awkward affair.
It's not just Downey who is on show though. Jude Law does the beloved Dr Watson much justice; he provides a terrifically stable counterpart to the wise-cracking and insolent Holmes. Despite playing the straight character of the two, Law manages to wring out a fair few laughs with his perpetual annoyance towards Holmes' antics and he clearly has a natural chemistry with Downey. Elsewhere Rachel McAdams is a sufficiently seductive Irene Adler, it isn't hard to understand why Holmes is so infatuated with her, but her role could've have been a touch juicier. Unacceptably, Mark Strong is one-dimensional and even, at times, very bland as Lord Blackwood. He makes for a dull villain and you get the impression he was just a gap-filler until they unleash Holmes' more famous arch-nemesis, one of the Professor kind.
A couple of gripes aside, the latest incarnation of Holmes is exciting and interesting. With plenty of room to improve and a superb pairing of Downey and Law, the probable sequel should be a corker.
3.5 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Ordinary, 3 - Good, 4 - Excellent, 5 - Classic)