Number 31: Sherlock Holmes Review

If there is one fact, fact my dear Watson, which can be taken from “Sherlock Holmes” it is this: there are still smart, well acted adventure films being made and while this may serve as the last nail in Nicholas Cage’s proverbial coffin, it is a fact which should be celebrated by the over-charged movie-going masses. Director Guy Ritchie does not rely on the audience’s knowledge, or lack there of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s now hundred year old character as a crutch. Instead, he he has presided over an engaging adventure with mass appeal, literary junkie or not.
Robert Downey Jr. stars brilliantly as the fascinatingly eccentric Sherlock Holmes alongside the perfectly casted Jude Law as his side-kick Dr. John H. Watson. Throughout the film the two exhibit chemistry not unlike Paul Newman and Robert Redford in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” The duo verbally dances through the film, riding the line of hokey and hilarious to perfection. As Holmes, Downey Jr. is fantastically engaging and convincing. Law is no different, playing the perfect other half, though being an actual Londoner can’t hurt when it comes to believability. Rachel McAdams rounds out the cast (make that the part of the cast that puts people in the seats) as Holmes’ criminal love interest Irene Adler.
Watching the film on mute will leave no doubt as to why it earned an Oscar nomination for Art Direction. The film looks stunning, portraying a hazy turn-of-the-century London. Turning the sound back on will reveal the films Oscar nominated original score, which adds a great deal to the film, but especially to its brilliant opening and closing credit sequences. With regards to direction, Guy Ritchie is a star here in his own right. In particular, two slow motion fight scenes, narrated by Holmes are perhaps the film’s most memorable moments and while exaggerated reality in a fight scene is nothing new, Holmes’ step by step self-instruction on how to defeat his opponent brings unique flair to a common device.
“Sherlock Holmes” is a movie that should alienate no one. The dialogue is smart, the cast is attractive and the explosions are big. In fact, one of the film’s few flaws is an ending which feels slightly sloppy as a setup for the obvious sequel. But even that, should be quickly forgiven. After all, we know that another “National Treasure” will likely be made, but as long as there are those striving for what “Sherlock Holmes” accomplishes, there is still hope for the genre.