The classic ensemble with a new twist

Rating: 8/10 (22 December 2009)

I saw this movie in a preview. I have read almost all of Sherlock Holmes stories but watched none of the movies or video, so went with a blank mind. I was pleasantly surprised. A lot of smart banter. Stylized fights. High production values with convincing landscape of the London of late 1800s. English humor but not too dry. If you have to have the faithfully reproduced characters, then you will be disappointed. However, the characters here have a lot of zing. I was reminded of the endless stream of comic book movies Hollywood have churned out for "thinking adults". In this case, the set up was already for brainy folks, so the challenge was to make it appealing for the contemporary audience and the director has succeeded not only on that count, but also in creating his own style. The background music suggests a fast tempo and goes well with the story. In some ways, the movie reminded me of the Indiana Jones and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. I wish the story were a bit less predictable, though. 7.5/10.