MOVIE REVIEW: SHERLOCK HOLMES

ENGLISH - PG13 - 24 December 2009 - Crime/Mystery

Distributor: Warner Bros
Running Time: 128 minutes
Director: Guy Ritchie
Producers: Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey, Dan Lin
Writer: (Screenplay) Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg; (Story) Lionel Wigram; (Characters) Arthur Conan Doyle
Casts: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan
Plot: In a dynamic new portrayal of Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous characters, "Sherlock Holmes" sends Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his stalwart partner Watson (Jude Law) on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country.

The Verdict

Green Tea Bern says:

The favourite criminologist and a big influencer for the modern world of detective industry and science forensic expertise, a character made marvelous into legacy by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the movie has been made and presented. First word - impressive. The film made a great and dark companion for this Christmas season nevertheless. It is highly entertaining and you will never get disappointed at all.

The film adaptation goes loose and it does not featured exclusively from any of the short novels Doyle has ever written. In fact, it goes original, taking into the account of the characters and the descriptions we have ever known. Take yourself a jar full of Bohemian and Victorian styles. Wait, those were the type of Sherlock Holmes we have been waiting for right? Guy Ritchie's adaptation has already won my first appraisal here - been different yet faithful. Sherlock Holmes is no longer a robot who deducts and logical-rationalizing everything as previously thought. In fact, Guy Ritchie turns him into a master of eccentricity, messy and witty. At least, his brain is still working and the elements of criminologist remain intact.

The story is strong and in fact the conceptual approach took by Ritchie is to take Sherlock, the wizardry of science and logical to take on Lord Blackwood, the wizardry of black magic. We know how Holmes despise the elementary of wizardry, so the mechanics on how he will deduct them all is simply fascinating. Called it a clash of titans when you realize how magic and science can battled it all out to this. Only in Sherlock Holmes, it was made as such intriguing way.

The plot is a bit too fast. Sherlock was never a fast-talker but you get one here. Most of the time it seems incomprehensible but let me assure you that you will get everything explained in details and nothing left out. The explanations are there but it seems like Guy Ritchie is avoiding the film to swell into a longer running time. With 128 minutes on clock, I have the feeling that this movie may need another extra 20 minutes to cool down the tempo. But a relief is that nothing in the stones left unturned.

Probably the humour is also the corner-stone for the movie. Essentially when you see Robert Downey Jr, you will have big chances of seeing humour, action, mesmerizing dialog and cheesy moments as well. For the laughter-affinity or if you need some laughter, this movie is completely suitable for you.

Cinematography by the world's renown Philippe Rousselot is so great. The setting of a dirty-to-the-air of London and exquisite heritage of Baker Street looks highly imaginative enough to suggest to correct era. There are plenty action and fist exchange, thus making this Sherlock Holmes film as the one that possess a different setting for a racing action flick. We know Holmes is a good fighter and it was done as closely as it is. But what adds into the flavor is because of the extra gunpowder you need to blow up the barrels and gas-vaporizing machine.

The casting of Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law as best buddy Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson is a good news. Holmes is a filthy guy but has an constructive deduction mind with his addiction to cocaine water and Watson is a classy out-runner person but with a dark secrets over gambling. Both characters are original and were brought well by the two class actors. Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law form a complex but interesting bond of chemistry between them. Not to be confused as gay, but both played well to the sort of they relied so much together to solve a case - another classics from Doyle.

Mark Strong whom played the villainous Lord Blackwood, a satanic with the wizard-craft on his hand, is remarkably strong. Rachel McAdams on the other way is not solid for her role as the femme fatale. Hers is not too disappointing but the role did less to show that she is really a femme fatale while losing some of her charms as a real "The Woman".

Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes is very different than any others before. The adventure is there. The mystery is there. The trail of investigation is there too. But I will not regard this as a masterpiece. But this outing by Guy Ritchie to attempt an indifferent approach on Sherlock Holmes does work well. I am definitely looking out for a sequel and needless to say, sherlock will embattle his greatest nemesis of all time.

THE RATING...

STORY - 4.0 stars

CASTS - 4.5 stars

CINEMATOGRAPHY - 4.0 stars

EFFECTS - 4.0 stars

OVERALL - 4.0 stars

Green-Tea-O-Meter: 16.6