We have all read about him, we have all heard about him, we have all been amazed by him - but now, Guy Ritchie brings this titillating story to life in
Sherlock Holmes...the film!
In this tale of the greatest fictional (maybe?) detective of all time, Ritchie creates yet another chapter in the adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.). Alongside Dr. Watson (Jude Law), the pair thwart criminals and break missing person cases - just as they always have. However, in true Ritchie form, Holmes becomes somewhat of an action hero in this adaptation. And I'm not complaining!
Jason Bourne meets detective James Bond. I really can't think of a better way to describe the role that Downey, Jr. dominates. Holmes is a smooth-talking, intelligent bad ass - who shines through with his deductive reasoning and sheer brilliant martial arts skill. He turns a sly detective into a one-man army, hell bent on solving every crime he is given. Ritchie also creates an outstanding vision of Dr. Watson (Jude Law), Holmes' sidekick. Watson also fits the bill for one of the action directors' lead characters - he's intelligent far beyond the need, but also can turn a nose into mush with is walking cane, which houses a sword.
The film opens with a chase (Ritchie at his best) in which Holmes (Downey, Jr.) is chasing a would-be criminal through the London underworld. Then, in slow motion, he begins to describe his "plan" to immobilize the gentleman - where, and how he will strike. Guy Ritchie, as I've said, is well-known for his fight scenes. And
Sherlock Holmes is no different. We are then subjected to the full speed, devastating confrontation between Sherlock and his new buddy - the other guy has absolutely NO chance.
In short,
Sherlock Holmes follows the duo through a death-defying case - one that will test their intelligence, physical ability and first and foremost, their reputation. The story centers around Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), a member of the House of Lords at the Houses of Parliament in London - he also terrorizes the underworld of the beautiful city. Holmes and Watson must put a stop to the black magic that Blackwood (Strong) is using on innocent citizens. Along with Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), a mistake in Holmes' past, the trio fight their way through the ranks.
I know I keep bringing him up but Guy Ritchie is one of my favorite directors - his adaptations of scripts are absolute genius. Not to mention unbelievably entertaining. He keeps audiences coming with this - his knack for creating outrageous chase scenes, encompassing intense explosions and deafening sound effects is beyond that of so many other action directors.
So, what's my verdict? I think you can deduce from what I've said thus far - it was great. From the perfection of Robert Downey, Jr and Jude Law, to the amazing script and even the era clothing, sets and language - this movie rocked. The script was written by a team of screenwriters. Among them, were the writers of
Invictus,
Jumper,
Mr and Mrs Smith,
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Without saying much, I think your jaw will hit the floor when you see this film - the writing brings to live action a character that we only read about in the past. Now, we are given the opportunity to see what he was really like - well at least in the eyes of Guy Ritchie and the writers.
The producers on this project were brilliant as well - I mean, look who they were able to cast, write and direct this blockbuster! They knocked it out of the park. As of today , January 3 2010, the movie goer has been friendly to
Sherlock Holmes, grossing nearly $120 million in just shy of a week.
According to imdb.com, an
Untitled Sherlock Holmes Sequel is in the making - again with Guy Ritchie as the director. I will keep everyone updated on the progress of this project, seeing as it will most likely stun us, as its predecessor did.
Robert Downey, Jr, as well all know, starred in the comic book adaptation of
Iron Man - and the box office proved his worth then, just as it has for
Sherlock Holmes. However, Downey Jr might be astounding us again in the near future with his roles as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the upcoming
Iron Man 2 (May 2010) and eventually the final installment,
Iron Man 3 (pre-production). He is also slated to once again play Sherlock Holmes in the sequel - just another day with a franchise actor!
Jude Law ceases to amaze me with his performances - from his small role as Erroll Flynn in
The Aviator, to his more involved Broadway and London theatre roles. He is what I like to call a 'true thespian' - growing up in England, he was exposed to the theatre at a very young age. This exposure created one of the most talked about young actors of our generation. Jude Law also stars in
Repo Men, to be released in April 2010. I plan on seeing everything this guy stars in - he is truly an amazingly talented man.
We are all hypnotized by the beauty of Rachel McAdams - as Irene Adler in
Sherloc
k Holmes she stuns us with her looks but again, dazzles her with her performance. She played confused, love struck Allie Hamilton in
The Notebook and gun-ho, outstanding reporter in
State of Play to wile senator's daughter Claire Cleary in
Wedding Crashers. Rachel can do it all! I hope to see her on the Oscar sheet someday soon - she has talent beyond many actresses of her age.
Dr Watson: "Holmes, does your depravity know no bounds?"
Sherlock Holmes: "No"
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