MOVIE OF THE WEEK - CHRISTMAS EDITION (12/25/09) - SHERLOCK HOLMES
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Rachel McAdams, William Houston, Hans Matheson and Robert Maillet
WRITERS: Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham and Simon Kinberg (screenplay); Lionel Wigram and Arthur Conan Doyle (characters)
DIRECTOR: Guy Ritchie (you know, Madonna's other ex that's also a movie director like Sean Penn)
WEB SITE: http://sherlock-holmes-movie.warnerbros.com/
THE PLOT: Featuring a more modern (well, modern in the sense of current sensibilities as you would have for a hero in the 19th Century) take on the character Arthur Conan Doyle first made famous, Holmes stars Robert Downey, Jr. as the title character. Having just finished helping the London police force capture the evil Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), Holmes and his partner Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) are preparing to go their separate ways for a while ... Or at least that's what Watson, who is attempting to settle down with his fiancée Mary (Kelly Reilly), is expecting ...
There's just one slight problem Watson's plan - Holmes isn't exactly the type that knows when using his powerful deduction skills isn't always a good thing. Worse yet for them both, there's the issue of Lord Blackwood - for without giving too much away, let's just say he seemingly has something in common with spiritual being that is in the inspiration for the film's Christmas Day release (think Biblical, not financial!). And that means once Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan) comes calling, Holmes and Watson are going to be relunctantly pressed back into service to bring him to justice.
Unfortunately, there's one other complication in the mix: Irene (Rachel McAdams), Holmes former flame/criminal who may or may not be up to no good ...
THE TAKE: At the sneak preview screening I attended earlier this week (it pays to know people in higher places than mine!), a friend of mine remarked that, to him, Holmes felt like a better made Wild Wild West.
Now, before I continue, let me make the following admission: Even though I know it's not a good movie in terms of standards like plot, plausibility and from what I've gathered about the original TV series, I find Wild Wild West entertaining. Kevin Kline's and Kenneth Branaugh's performances in the movie make me laugh as they are so silly I can't help but be a bit juvenile and like it. Hell, even that goofy theme song sung by Sisqó makes me smile when I hear it (and Salma Hayek is pretty easy on the eyes, let's just be honest)!
Holmes, however, is entertaining not because of how silly it is, but because of how well done it is - and therein lies a key difference.
Downey, as one might expect, is excellent as Holmes. In creating the character, he showcases the acute mental acumen that is both his greatest strength and, at times, weakness. For his razor sharp with and attention to detail is what makes him so good at what he does ... But it is also the source of overconfidence that can allow him to be vunerable/too guarded, causing him to make mistakes. Played with equal parts charm, intellect and physicality when necessary, Holmes is a thinking man's action hero.
Law, though, is no slouch in his own, as Watson stands his ground better than most sidekicks where he is an essential part of Holmes success and his psyche. McAdams is also serviceable as a strong counterpart/foil for our protagonist, continuing a developing trend of characters who are not just on screen to provide a forced love story/female presence. Last but not least, Strong is solid as the stoic Lord Blackwood, never falling victim to the trappings of becoming a cartoonish villian; instead, he portrays him as a focused man on a mission who will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals.
Throw in a nice mix of humor, strong combat sequences and script where the plot takes twists and turns that serve to enhance the story rather than muddle it up and seeing why Holmes is a great film for this holiday season is, well, elementary.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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