Review: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

According to Guinness World Records, the character of Sherlock Holmes has been portrayed more times in film than any other film character - ever. No small feat. Think of the masses of horror movie sequels, and the Bond films. If wikipedia is anything to go by, then Sherlock Holmes has in fact been portrayed by 75 different actors in 211 different films. Amazing, and that's only film. There have also been several television shows revolving around the character of Holmes (The best one, in my opinion, being the 2010 BBC series "Sherlock"), and many books written about him. Taking everything into consideration, Holmes is probably one of the most well known characters ever, and he's been well known for over a century.

Based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes is set in London, 1891. Title character Holmes, and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, are on the case of Lord Henry Blackwood. Blackwood was put to death for the use of black magic, but has seemingly risen from the dead, and returned to finish what he started - to control a new order. Together, Holmes and Watson try to stop Blackwood, all the while trying to find ways around their own, somewhat personal, obstacles.

"Death... Is only the beginning."

The Dialogue in Sherlock is very witty; very well thought out, and clever. The story itself, I thought, was a little bit confusing, but nevertheless entertaining. I especially enjoyed the film's visuals. The way the filmmaker's managed to recreate 1891 London is incredible. Everything looks very real, so real that one might think they actually travelled back in time to film Sherlock.

I love Robert Downey Jr. As far as I'm concerned, onscreen, Downey can do no wrong, and this is again proven with his portrayal of Holmes. He's the standout in a film full of great performances. Jude Law was very well cast as Watson, Holmes' faithful sidekick, and he and Downey work very well together. Rachel McAdams, who plays Irene Adler, Holmes' love interest, is also good in the film, though I didn't enjoy her performance as much as her two costars'.

"It's a matter of professional integrity! No girl wants to marry a doctor who can't tell if a man's dead or not!"

I enjoyed this adaptation of Doyle's work. So much so, I watched it twice. 8/10

Triva: While filming one of the fight scenes, Robert Maillet, Dredger, accidentially knocked out Robert Downey Jr. This may have been avoided if Downey hadn't decided to do all of his own stunts.