The action adventure flick of this past holiday season, Sherlock Holmes, got the attention of many, young and old. A good old fashioned mystery! And of course, the famous title didn’t hurt its popularity. So far it’s grossed about $182 million, nothing to scoff at. With a solid cast starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and Rachel McAdams one would think this movie would be nothing short of flawless. Honestly though, this hyped up film failed to meet my expectations.
The film is set in 1891 London where an eccentric, awkward detective, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his goody-two shoes sidekick Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) stumble upon an odd string of murders. Lord Blackwood, a stoic and mysterious “magician”, is caught and thrown into jail for practicing human sacrifices. Although Holmes and Watson are present at his execution, they later hear news that he has escaped from the grave. And the explanation? Magic (Queue the ooh’s and ahh’s). Holmes is approached by the beautiful yet dangerous Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), whom he has a big crush on. And when I say big, I mean big (think Duckie pining after Andie in Pretty in Pink). And, of course, she’s a high-class criminal, because life just can’t be made simple for poor ol’ Holmes! As the plot thickens, Blackwood remerges, getting revenge on his family members and those who doubt his powers. Can Holmes and Watson stop Blackwood’s murder streak? Is Blackwood really using magic to kill his victims? Will Holmes stop being such a socially awkward misfit?
When seeing previews for this movie, I thought it was going to be pretty darn good. The chase scenes, the mysteries, the this, the that, yada yada yada. Quite frankly however, the plot was just downright confusing. Some may disagree but the movie just failed to tie up some important loose ends. And…magic? Really? Let’s not take a trip back to the UFO Indiana Jones mishap, please.
Robert Downey Jr. did a great job as Sherlock Holmes. He was eccentric and off-beat but brilliant. Typically I picture Sherlock Holmes as being formal but I believe this was actually a more preferable alternative. Despite this, I think a major blow to his performance was his accent. There were times when it was hard to hear what he was saying because he was mumbling so quickly in this low-toned British accent. Nice authenticity, but speak up! Jude Law and Rachel McAdams were alright too, but naturally Robert Downey Jr.’s performance stood out much more.
Another minor criticism: I know the setting is supposed to be grey and bleak but I just didn’t like it. Not much color other than Rachel McAdams vibrant dresses. It’s just the style of the movie; some may like this some may hate it.
So what’s the final breakdown on Sherlock Holmes? Thumbs down on the plot, thumbs up on the acting, and thumbs down on the setting. For a movie that I held such high hopes for I was quite disappointed.
RATING: * *, two out of four stars
The film is set in 1891 London where an eccentric, awkward detective, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his goody-two shoes sidekick Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) stumble upon an odd string of murders. Lord Blackwood, a stoic and mysterious “magician”, is caught and thrown into jail for practicing human sacrifices. Although Holmes and Watson are present at his execution, they later hear news that he has escaped from the grave. And the explanation? Magic (Queue the ooh’s and ahh’s). Holmes is approached by the beautiful yet dangerous Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), whom he has a big crush on. And when I say big, I mean big (think Duckie pining after Andie in Pretty in Pink). And, of course, she’s a high-class criminal, because life just can’t be made simple for poor ol’ Holmes! As the plot thickens, Blackwood remerges, getting revenge on his family members and those who doubt his powers. Can Holmes and Watson stop Blackwood’s murder streak? Is Blackwood really using magic to kill his victims? Will Holmes stop being such a socially awkward misfit?
When seeing previews for this movie, I thought it was going to be pretty darn good. The chase scenes, the mysteries, the this, the that, yada yada yada. Quite frankly however, the plot was just downright confusing. Some may disagree but the movie just failed to tie up some important loose ends. And…magic? Really? Let’s not take a trip back to the UFO Indiana Jones mishap, please.
Robert Downey Jr. did a great job as Sherlock Holmes. He was eccentric and off-beat but brilliant. Typically I picture Sherlock Holmes as being formal but I believe this was actually a more preferable alternative. Despite this, I think a major blow to his performance was his accent. There were times when it was hard to hear what he was saying because he was mumbling so quickly in this low-toned British accent. Nice authenticity, but speak up! Jude Law and Rachel McAdams were alright too, but naturally Robert Downey Jr.’s performance stood out much more.
Another minor criticism: I know the setting is supposed to be grey and bleak but I just didn’t like it. Not much color other than Rachel McAdams vibrant dresses. It’s just the style of the movie; some may like this some may hate it.
So what’s the final breakdown on Sherlock Holmes? Thumbs down on the plot, thumbs up on the acting, and thumbs down on the setting. For a movie that I held such high hopes for I was quite disappointed.
RATING: * *, two out of four stars
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