I saw this earlier in the week. It was quite entertaining. I actually expected it to be horrible and was reluctant to go as I saw it at best being Shanghi Knights and more likely Wild Wild West or Van Helsing in actuality. Instead, I was surprised to be thoroughly entertained by the entire experience and left smiling. While for pure escapist fun I'd say Star Trek, District 9 and Avatar were all better crafted and craftier experiences, I must say Sherlock Holmes was a barrel of fun.
I loved every scene that Holmes and Watson were on screen together. Downey completely sold his variation on Holmes, but he came alive when sparring whether figuratively or literally with his bromance companion, Dr. Watson. Though Law's Watson shares no similarities whatsoever with the one in the stories, he was very charismatic in his own way and the restaurant scene with them and Watosn's fiancé, as well as the prison scene were golden.
Rachel McAdams, despite a questionable hair style was as stunning as always. Unfortunately, her character was extremely underwritten. Irene Adler was one of Doyle's more interesting side creations and bringing her back should have been more interesting. She had little to do other than to trick Holmes once and gush over him for the rest of the film and surprisingly McAdams was somewhat frail next to Holmes as opposed to as appearing as his equal. Perhaps it is because she was written off as just the love interest and Guy Ritchie, notorious for his preference to male characters, did not see the need to really develop an interesting femme fatale. But it seems an opportunity lost. With what she had to work with McAdams was okay though.
Visually the film was stunning and gave a gritty recreation of Victorian London that while Hollywood and Ritchie, felt very real and believable. From the opening with the logos in the muddy streets, this just felt right.
My biggest complaint comes from the main mystery and villain. Mark Strong was fine with what he had to work with. However, after the very intriguing first act where he seems to raise himself from the grave after being executed, the story falls away and it becomes a dull and uninspired take over the world scheme. How he'll take over the UK, much less the US or the rest of the world, by killing Parliament is not explained and just seems as contrived and stupid as the scheme the villain had in Wild Wild West. It was window dressing and we never have a good idea what is really at stake. The ending where Holmes reveals everything could have been done better as well. Obviously the audience should not know the whole truth until the end, but there was no sign of discovery or mystery solving throughout the plot and then at the end it all comes together without explaining itself as it went along like it was an episode of Scooby-Doo.
So narratively, especially in the third act, it leaves quite a bit to be desired. But the visuals are stunning and the performances for the most part are incredibly smart, entertaining and witty. The two leads make this movie a good experience worth at least one revisit. I suspect that a lot was cut from this movie as I recall quite a few lines, scenes, moments, etc. in the trailers/ads not in the finished film. Something tells me the narrative of this was a mess from the script. Hopefully, they'll have more solid footing when they tackle Moriarty in the inevitable sequel. Ritchie seems to have his own problems to solve. But with Downey and Law in tow, it should be elementary.
7.5/10.
Very enjoyable.
Trust me av a listen to a brummie accent.
