Review: Sherlock Holmes

Review: Sherlock Holmes

Rating: **

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 69%

I really, really wanted to like this movie. And I was able to discard my preconceptions -- based on reading Arthur Conan Doyle's fiction and viewing dozens of old movies -- of how Sherlock Holmes should be portrayed. But I was terribly disappointed in what I had expected to be great fun.

The acting is fine. Robert Downey Jr. portrays a moody (dare I say manic depressive) Holmes with considerable flair and physical ability (although I wish he had mumbled less through his brooding English accent). Jude Law was a refreshingly intelligent Watson, and the supporting cast did everything they were supposed to do.

The problem was the story: Sherlock Holmes meets Dan Brown. Please, filmmakers, bury the plots about secret, dark societies bent on sacrificing virgins and taking over the world. Ho hum. All the flashy martial arts battles in the world can't make up for trite story lines.

And Guy Ritchie quickly deflected his tease of a Holmes/Watson homoerotic relationship through Watson's engagement to Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly whom I hope will appear in a much better plotted sequel -- there's a great untold story there) and Holmes seemingly unconsummated passion for Irene Adler, the only woman he pays attention to in any of Doyle's fiction.

In short, my dear Watson, it was something of a mess.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it