Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong
Certificate: 12A
Runtime: 128 minutes
UK release date: 25 December 2009:
In a nutshell: Lock Stock director gives Conan Doyle a proper London makeover. And it’s not bad at all.
Sherlock Holmes purists, look away now. Actually, that's not fair, if the purists are purists because of their love of the books. If they've come to Holmes because of Basil Rathbone, then they're going to hate what Guy Ritchie has done to their hero. Readers of the books though will know that the deerstalker, the Meerschaum pipe and assorted other trimmings aren't the character. The pipe was brought in as a stage prop, apparently, because a regular pipe blocked the actor's face. The deerstalker is, apparently, only mentioned once in one of the 60-odd stories by Conan Doyle.
Basically then, Ritchie turning Holmes into a savvy, streetwise,
deeply flawed detective with a surprisingly adept line in martial
arts isn't that far from the original character. As for Watson
being younger and handsome? Also in the books. Watson is a
decorated war hero, not a shrinking violet. These also add up to
the sort of kick in the Baskervilles that Holmes needed to appeal
to a modern audience. Isn't it grand when a plan comes
together?
The resulting film is a fine, fun romp through Victorian London.
Having solved a series of brutal, Ripper-esque murders, Holmes
(Downey) and Watson (Law) have helped put the evil Lord Blackwood
(Strong) behind bars. However, Blackwood appears to have a direct
line to some very black arts and, having survived his own hanging,
reappears at the centre of a plot to take over the country.
Of course, nothing is quite what it seems but, with the public
living in fear of Blackwood's apparent sorcery, it's up to Holmes,
Watson and a rather spunky American, Irene Adler (McAdams), the
only woman who's ever bested Holmes, to get to the bottom of the
mystery.
Which they do, via glorious set-pieces, Ritchie's trademark
slow-motion fight scenes and some lovely, witty word play. McAdams
is in fine form, milking maximum value from her slightly
underwritten part. Strong oozes effortless evil. Law - in a
sentence I rarely get to type - is great as the spirited Watson.
And then there's Downey Jr.
You can easily argue that it's not exactly a stretch for Downey Jr
to play a flawed, addictive, intelligent personality. But credit
where credit is due. Holmes comes with a lot of baggage for any
actor. The fact that Downey Jr has managed to shake all of that
off, invest the character with no little charm AND not upset the
traditionalists too much? That's pretty blooming remarkable by
anyone's standards.
The film itself does drag a little, and the middle third goes
slightly soggy. Everything's pulled back around for the big climax
though and, by the time the sequel is very obviously signposted,
you should be convinced that, actually, that's something you'd
really like to see. Shall we pencil in Christmas 2011 then,
chaps?
