Sherlock Holmes

a film directed by Guy Ritchie

review written by jack floobles

January 12, 2010

Directed by Guy Ritchie, Sherlock Holmes is an action-packed adaptation of the classic Arthur Conan Doyle character. Robert Downey Jr. plays Mr. Holmes with a radical, hipster flair. Jude Law plays his amiable sidekick, Dr. John Watson, while Rachel McAdams dubiously plays the infamous Irene Adler, the one character in the books to ever beat Holmes.

The movie is riddled with flaws. As an avid reader of the books, I told myself to ignore that the movie was about Sherlock Holmes. Instead, I went into the theater with one thought: this is an action movie whose main character just so happens to share the name of my favorite fictional detective. Even with that thought in mind, the movie was abyssal. Immediately from the start, we're plunged into an action scene, wherein Holmes deduces how he will disable an opponent by blithering on about specific points on the opponent's body he will hit, all while the film moves in agonizing slow motion, only then to finish by rapidly having Holmes repeat his steps to disable the opponent. It's boorish. It's sophomoric. It's the kind of silly thing I'd expect from a script written by prepubescent boys. I know, for I once was a prepubescent boy who would have enjoyed this film, I'm sure.

That aside, the mystery itself isn't that mysterious. Easily thirty minutes before the movie has finished, you have probably filled in all of the holes. And if you haven't, when the grand mystery is revealed, you probably won't be astonished or amazed, you'll probably feel let down. All of this wouldn't be so bad if the acting and the characterization of Holmes was better, but Downey Jr. stifles the fun with his constant sour, deep voice, so deep in fact I strained to hear some of what he was saying. Rachel McAdams is dreadful as Irene Adler. She doesn't seem to have a clue how to play "smart", "crafty", "mischievous", and all the other character traits the fictional Irene Adler possessed. Meanwhile, Jude Law might be the one saving grace in the film. He plays John Watson exactly as I would imagine John Watson. Calm, sincere, polite. You can feel that he loves Holmes, even if we don't.

Overall, the film was dull. My eyes wouldn't stop rolling from the start to the ending credits. I love action films. I love dumb action films. But this was too dumb and too much action. At some point, we need at least a three minute break between action scenes. I came to see Sherlock Holmes, not Jason Bourne. Furthermore, I hear there's a sequel in the works. Maybe by the time the sequel rolls around, and they no longer need to establish the characters, they might have themselves a better caper. There's hope, I think, even if it's minute.

the following actors/directors were tagged in this review: