Directed by Guy Ritchie
Released in 2009
A modern reboot of a series of novels made in the late 19th century does not sound like a recipe for success. With Sherlock Holmes, the result is mixed but, for the most part, it succeeds. A likable cast and some neat action give this film momentum, even when it slows down to some problems with acting, editing and screenplay.
Guy Ritchie, the director, is known for intriguing title credits and overly bombastic action scenes rife with explosions. Thankfully, Sherlock Holmes is subdued, if ever so slightly. There is an emphasis on Holmes' attentive approach to problem-solving, shown by how fast he speaks and how he is always, unsurprisingly, right. Perhaps the best part of this movie is its combat scenes which take both Holmes' intellect and strength and mash them together. In super slow-motion, Holmes narrates and explains each step in a fight he will take and its result (3 broken ribs, for example). Then, it is played in real time, with plenty of short cuts, and a broken man is on the floor while the crowd watches, mouths agape. It is a very neat feature and is met with a lot of exaggerated facial expressions, crushing audio and ripples on skin once the fist hits it. It only happens twice and I would have welcomed it again. Other action scenes are well choreographed, with the stereotypical "heavy, foreign beast of a man" as a recurring adversary. All of this takes place in an unflattering, gritty version of Victorian England that resembles its influence but lacks any real connection to the time period. Perhaps this was intentional (Sherlock Holmes is not aiming to be a period piece), but it feels like all of the characters could be in modern times if they only dressed differently and drove cars. It is not a real annoyance as much of a peculiar observation. That withstanding, the action is where this film shines and I would have actually welcomed more of the overblown action that Ritchie is known for here.
The acting is surprisingly strong for the leading roles but weak where there's Strong. Bad puns aside, Mark Strong is a fine actor on his own accord but noticeably bad here.
There is an occult theme at the center of the storyline and that is where I really have my problems with the movie. You see it in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, but the whole "secret society with mysterious powers" cliche has been done so many times that it is tiring to see it be done here. I will not spoil how the plot turns out but, Holmes' reasoning withstanding, this could have been done without. In addition, the pacing of the film is fine as it moves along but 10 minutes could have been shaved off from the 2 hour, 8 minute runtime to make a tighter, more cohesive package. Writing wobbles from time to time as well. There is a good amount of humor present here but it counters the weak dialogue for the villains and predictable female encounters. The script does a very good job at wrapping up most of the loose ends, however, and Sherlock Holmes really lives up to his namesake by piecing everything together in the end. The other issues are not huge but they certainly deserve to be brought up.
Final Verdict:
3.5 Stars Out of 5
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