Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes

Beware: Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes is not the Holmes of your grandfather. Indeed, Robert Downey Jr. plays a rebellious, witty, introverted, punch-throwing detective in a world where fist fights and explosions are often a part of solving a crime; a world created to satisfy the appetite of a movie-going public that expects pricey special effects to be a part of every film. Yet, even though this Sherlock Holmes of the 21st century is not exactly true to that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books, he is just as entertaining.
The movie begins where most movies end: Sherlock Holmes and his partner John Watson (Jude Law) arrive on the scene of a ritual murder just in time to save the girl and catch the killer. However, the case does not end there as Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), returns from the dead to take on more serious matters than killing women—taking over the world. Blackwood weaves a web of seemingly impossibly scenarios through his magic work while Holmes tries to unravel the story through evaluation and logic.
Wound together with comedy and romance, the film features both one-liners and the ongoing humorous relationship between Holmes and Watson, resembling that of a married couple. Romance, also, was apparent in the film not only through Watson and his wife-to-be—although the chemistry between the couple seemed weak—but also between Holmes and his criminal love interest, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams).
Although the film is only directly narrated by Holmes in two scenes, almost every scene features Holmes, and throughout the movie the audience is forced to see through Holmes' eyes through camera and audio work. Viewers are introduced to the main character at a very dynamic time: His partner and best friend is getting married, leaving his home with Holmes, and ending his detective work. The audience feels an immediate connection with Sherlock Holmes because he is the entrance way into his world; just as he is obsessed with delving into the minds of others, the viewer is not only given permission, but required to see into the mind of Sherlock Holmes.
Overall, many of the fight scenes were overdone and unnecessary, but the entertaining cast of characters, realistic scenery, and perfect balance between comedy, romance, action, and mystery made this film very enjoyable. The clues to the mystery were easy to miss, but with explanation from Holmes were easy to follow, making this 134 minute movie fly by. Also, with obvious room for a sequel left at the end, I will be looking forward to the release of Sherlock Holmes 2.