I was about ready to question the legitimacy of Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) adding martial arts skills to his repertoire, but a few other reviewers set me straight on that point. The camaraderie between Holmes and his partner Watson (Jude Law) points to a decidedly more equitable relationship between the two than was ever exhibited between Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, or any of the other pairings I've seen from the Thirties and Forties. The whole idea takes a little getting used to, and in the hands of a less capable director than Guy Ritchie, might not have worked out quite as well. Ritchie applies a lot of the smart-alecky type of humor evident in such earlier efforts as "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels". Robert Downey Jr. takes to his role well by applying some of that old Tony Stark arrogance and comes off as a master tactician. That is, if you find credible such mental feats as describing the path to the headquarters of Sir Thomas Rotheram's (James Fox) Temple of the Four Orders while blindfolded. While generally enjoying the story, I kept wondering whether the name of Professor Moriarty would ever wind up being mentioned, and on that point, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) provided a clue near the end of the story as well as capably setting up a sequel. For fans of the old time Sherlock Holmes flicks, this one might appear a bit jarring for one's tastes, though I found it rather entertaining myself. It appears that a modern day franchise has been well established.
Review of Sherlock Holmes
