Guy Ritchie (Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch) brings some grit and darkness to the London-based super-sleuth's legend, with Robert Downey Jr taking the lead role and Jude Law as sidekick Dr Watson. The clue-sniffing twosome take on a fiendish nemesis, with Holmes getting the chance to show off his boxing and fencing skills along the way. Ritchie says he hopes his take on Holmes will be more true to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's source material than previous slightly camp incarnations.
Sherlock Holmes holds the world record for most portrayals of any character – ever – in movies and our pop culture has certainly refined his image to near mythical levels: deer-stalker hat, smoking pipe, magnifying glass, emotionally distant demeanor and that infamous cocaine habit. While Guy Ritchie's (Snatch, RocknRolla) new action-hero interpretation seems to buck this trend, a closer look reveals a film that is quite worthy of the Holmesian canon, even if for pure novelty value.
Robert Downey Jr plays the famous consulting detective much like his other famous role: Tony Stark from Iron Man. Jude Law's Dr Watson compliments this; armed with a sword-cane, amazing pistol skills and tendency to interview suspects with his fists. Together they scramble to save London from a dark magician named Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) who has risen from the grave and set afoot a plan to seize control of England.
Although the film offers up an unsurprisingly paint-by-numbers story, what makes Ritchie's film worthy is its attention to detail. Victorian London has never looked so accurately dirty and literary fans will enjoy the wall-to-wall in-jokes and dialogue lifted directly from Conan Doyle's writing. Ritchie's own brand of humor features prominently, delivered note-perfect by the very charismatic Downey Jr and Law partnership, all bolstered by an unconventionally period-inspired score by Hans Zimmer. There is more to this Bruckheimer-style Sherlock Holmes than meets the eye and if you can forgive action-movie sensibilities then there is much to be enjoyed by Holmes fans and newbies alike.
By Rajneel Singh, Flicks.co.nz
Action packed, fun, mysterious, interesting twists & turns...Outstanding perfomances from all the actors & actresses. Thrilling to watch. Watched it twice and then some.
Wicked movie. Makes Sherlock Holmes into the kick-ass crime investigator he was meant to be as well as a heck of a fist-fighter. Great performances all round, awesome plot and direction from Guy Ritchie making it cool. Leaves you hanging out for Sherlock II. Sweet.
a must watch for holmes fans, Downey Jr does not disappoint in anyway. Jude law does top notch acting. Funny, action packed, thriller.
This movie was good but only thing it took to long!!!
awsome movie one of the best movies!
A fun, action-packed reintroduction to Conan Doyle's classic characters. Part Two should provide more in the way of scope.
Sherlock Holmes goes wrong in many ways except for one -- at the boxoffice.
Ritchie is all about the whooshing and headbanging, leaving no space between Holmes' words to savor their meaning. Downey is irresistible. The movie, not so much.
Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes is a riot. The director takes on a British institution with a swagger and a wink and the result is boisterous and unabashed fun.
Great cast, plenty going on, and I do love a bit of Guy Ritchie. So I suspect I may have to blame a script that was just trying to be a little too clever for its own good.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Saturday, 26th Dec 2009.
Release date: December 26th 2009.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
