Sorry, I had to. For those that don’t get it, it’s a cholo joke. And not a very good one. But it’s almost 3 in the AM and I am trying to crank this one out so I can get a couple hours sleep and go home. I’m at work, FYI. So… As stated here and there, mostly a couple posts back, I am not much of a reader. I wish I were. One of the things I’ve always wanted to read were the stories of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes is one of those things that if I hear about it, I perk my ears up and pay attention. So when I heard a movie was coming out I was VERY interested. Then I found out that Robert Downey Jr was the lead and I gasped. Not cause he’s a bad actor. Not at all. But because I have this theory, that when actors are given great roles in movies, there is a clause in the contract that says that they have to appear in some crap movie afterwards. That way, a movie that otherwise would bomb at the box office, will have a chance because people will want to see whatever they come out in next. Keanu Reeves came off The Matrix Trilogy and did Constantine. Will Smith had Independence Day and Men in Black and then did Wild Wild West. Sandra Bullock did Speed and then The Net. Edward Furlong did Terminator 2, then does Pet Cemetary 2. You get the point. So seeing how Bobby had Iron Man and The Soloist, I was a little skeptical. Let’s see how it did.
Sherlock Holmes is directed by Guy Ritchie. Starring Robert Downey Jr from Iron Man, Tropic Thunder, The Soloist, and Only You. Jude Law from Alfie, Enemy at the Gates, and The Talented Mr. Ripley. And Rachel McAdams from The Time Traveler’s Wife, Wedding Crashers, and The Notebook. Sherlock Holmes follows the fictional world’s second best detective and his sidekick Watson as they battle a mastermind and his plan to rule the England and maybe even the world.
The bad: I don’t really like movies where the plot pulls you this way and that way, and then this way again. You have to pay extra close attention just to keep up. This movie felt that way for some reason. Almost like it was trying too hard to seem intelligent. Another thing that I kind of liked but got a little too much was all the explaining. Yes, Sherlock is the second best detective in the fictional world(that’s right, SECOND). Yes, he’s smarter than almost everyone around him. And yes, we know he notices things that no one else does. But explaining his method of deduction and overall reasoning every other scene got a little boring. And his long-winded monologue at the end was drawn out more than it should have been. This last one is more nit picky. I am a big fan of everything steampunk and I was REALLY hoping there would be some cool steampunk in this movie. But alas, my hopes were dashed. Also, the fact that Holmes and Watson were both major ass-kickers was a bit far-fetched. They could’ve at least given some insight as to why they both know mixed martial arts in the 19th century.
The good: It was very much Sherlock Holmes. I think they did a great job showing the volatile relationship between Holmes and Watson. I like how it only introduces Professor Moriarty, setting up some killer sequels. I like Bobby in this film although they did make Holmes seem too much like Dr. House. I always saw Holmes as a sophisticated detective and this movie made him seem more like a shut-in, alcoholic who happened to be a genius. Almost like Tony Stark’s great great grandfather. Coincidence?
Over all, I liked the movie. I know I seemed to complain more than I praised, but I’m weird like that. I would recommend it to almost anyone. At the very least as a “worth checking out” flick. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
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AC
P.S.
And I don’t care how silly I sound, but Batman is THE greatest detective in the fictional world. Ask any one.
