Sherlock Holmes

Once it became available on pay per view, I finally got around to watching Sherlock Holmes. I must admit that I'm conflicted about this film. The cast, in some respects, is outstanding, particularly Robert Downey Jr. He's emerged from the wasteland of continual rehab to become one of Hollywood's most talented and likable stars. His portrayal of Holmes is spot on, though sometimes I had to really crank up the sound to hear what he was mumbling.

I have to admit that I've always liked Rachel McAdams, and if she had been cast as Maid #3 I would have still wanted to rent this movie just to see her. She gives an energetic and nuanced performance as Holmes' somewhat-love interest Irene Adler. That, combined with her own blend of special effects involving partial nudity back shots and silk robes, was worth the price of the movie alone.

Jude Law gives an enjoyable performance as Dr. Watson. And I've always thought he got more press for whom he dated as opposed to the quality of his work.

Where this movie falls down hard is the villain and his "dastardly" plan. Mark Strong was the only halfway decent thing about RocknRolla (a movie, by the way, I had to start and stop three times before I could finish). However, his Lord Blackwood doesn't come across as particularly intelligent. And once I learned his true identity, I was doubly disappointed. I just get the feeling that Lord Blackwood spends most of his time in the pub having beers with his mates, not cooking up malevolent plans to rule England. I can't help thinking about what a younger Sir Anthony Hopkins could have done with this role. Now there would've been a bad guy for the ages.

As it turns out, despite every character telling me the contrary, Lord Blackwood isn't really that smart. Once I learned of his plan, I knew it wouldn't work. And it really just boils down to the fact that he's buddies with a seven foot tall French guy. And we all know what trouble you get into when the only thing you have going for you is the French.

Blackwood is also a horrible engineer. Apparently, he's never attended a lecture on single point of failure or risk management.

And that's what bothers me most about this movie. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle started a whole new branch of science and law enforcement with his works, but the movie is just a collection of triviality posing as genius. Can't anyone write a plot anymore? Feel free to post comments with the name of any writer born after 1940 that can actually write an original plot.

See Sherlock Holmes for the "good guys" but you'll have to cut the villain a little slack.