Sherlock Holmes

SHERLOCK HOLMES is a film consumed by the present, the now, the moment at hand. With a wink and some cinematic sleight of hand, it distracts you from reason and engages you with adventure. And if you're willing to go with it and enjoy the moment, it's a lot of fun.

The story begins with a classic Holmesian construct - the closing of a case and the apprehension of a dastardly villian. No background or details are given as to how our heroes, Robert Downey, Jr.'s Holmes and his trusted partner Dr. John Watson played by a well-mustachioed Jude Law, came to the scene or what prompted their involvement. The scene serves only to set up the "new and improved" Sherlock Holmes reinvented for the post-Bourne Ultimatum age. Holmes is now a badass - a brawler and a martial artist. As played by Robert Downey, Jr., he is also a rambling, tic-ridden mess. Not that there isn't lierary precedence for this, mind you, but it's taken to the extremes here.

As is most of the story. Characters are larger than life, some quite literally. Most of them seem to be experts in hand-to-hand combat, weapons and explosives, and secret mystic cults. Rachel MacAdams seems especially out of place as Irene Adler, the one criminal who eluded Holmes and may have had an emotional impact on him. Concerning, also, is the film's handling of Holmes himself. The film cannot seem to make up its mind as to what it wants Holmes to be. Downey, Jr. plays him as hapless one minute and completely in control the next. We see him evaluate clues only to get the obligatory "here's what happened" scene at the end of the film. There is little excitement of the chase and we don't see the dots being connected.

There is, however, great chemistry between Holmes and Watson as they evaluate the future of their partnership. Director Guy Ritchie also holds most of his MTV-inspired tricks back and serves up his most accessible film. There is flash, to be sure, but it doesn't overpower the sense of gloom that permeates the film. Mark Strong brings gravitas to an under-written villian role and the city of London itself looms large and dirty.

Overall the film is a fun ride. You just need to turn off your brain to really enjoy it. And that, considering that this is a story of one of the greatest deductive minds in literary history, is a shame.