Sherlock Holmes
Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong
Directed by Guy Ritchie
More Than Elementary
The trailer for Sherlock Holmes promised visual punch, a thrilling ride and sharp one liners. That was fine, but my concern was that the movie might be all style, no substance. Not to worry. The film delivers the promised goods – an exciting look, edge-of-your-seat pace and crafty dialogue – then ups the ante with considerable intelligence and credible characters to boot.
Holmes (Downey, Jr.) is up to his old tricks, solving crimes, assisting Scotland Yard upon request. Lord Blackwood (Strong) is the nemesis here, a practitioner of the Dark Arts, member of a secret society dedicated to their use. Lurking in the shadows, observing both men, is an unnamed Professor, whose face we never see. When the film ends he seems ready to step forward and take his rightful place as Holmes’ nemesis. [You know who I’m talking about.] But enough about him. He can wait for the sequel. This is Blackwood’s turn to match wits with Holmes and a worthy adversary he is.
The London we experience is dark and gritty, wet and often overcast, its modern facade still emerging (witness Tower Bridge under construction). Into this messy industrial metropolis, Holmes and flat mate Dr. Watson (Law) pursue leads in the case of Lord Blackwood who, after being hanged for ritual murders, rises from the grave to wreak havoc, aiming to take power and change the world.
Irene Adler (McAdams), herself a criminal master, re-enters Sherlock’s life. Watson notes that she’s the only one who’s ever bested him. Holmes keeps her picture on the table. It can only be love. But Holmes’ is an obsessed man and she’s no homebody so there’s little time for foreplay. Danger is afoot and the duo (Holmes/Watson) becomes a trio (Holmes/Watson/Adler). But is she really there to help?
Holmes aficionados and newcomers alike will delight in his unmatched deductive skills, central to the character as originally penned by Arthur Conan Doyle, on full display here. The movie also foreshadows certain scenes just before they happen (like instant replay before the fact), complete with Holmes’ voiceover detailing what he’s about to do and the compelling logic for his impending action. It’s an effective visual device, true to character, occurring mostly in the first half of the film. As we move forward there is less foreshadowing and more surprise, as Holmes’ deductive powers are held back from the audience, delighting us after the fact with what Holmes knew and when he knew it, flashing back to crucial moments with important clues that we, as mere mortals, were unable to decipher. To be fair, Holmes’ highly developed sense of smell plays a large role in deducing many facts and without smell-o-vision we could hardly be expected to keep up.
Instead, we submerge ourselves in the thrilling ride, willing freeloaders on a fast-paced action-filled mystery, one that takes us through the streets and sewers, the factories and waterways, the secret societies and Houses of Parliament of Nineteenth Century London. Holmes and Watson may have problems dealing with each other (e.g. Watson trying to move out, put their adventures behind, and start a new life with his beau, Mary) but the lure of unsolved crimes and imminent danger require they put aside their differences and do what they do best.
Thank goodness for that.
7½ out of 10 (recommended) on the Movie Fraction Rating System™
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