Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie (2009)
25 December 2009This Sherlock Holmes reboot was a strange choice for a Christmas Day release, because it is nothing more than a summer blockbuster. A pretty fun one, but not amazing, and certainly not worthy of it’s Oscar release date. Still having Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes as perfect, and Jude Law as Watson is also spectacular, though some of the other casting, like Rachel MacAdams could certainly have been better. I was impressed by Guy Ritchie though, as it seems he has grown up. Now I love his stylish previous films, but did not think it would fit here, and it seems neither did he, because this is a well done film without his signature style, and it does work, but it is the writing and a big coincidence in the end that just should not have happened in a film about a character so obsessed with logic that serves to bring this down to a lot less than this could have been. It is fun, but nothing you will ever think about going to see a second time.
London, 1891, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) on his last mission with his friend and associate Watson (Jude Law) run into a ritual for a human sacrifice, where Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) is about to kill a young girl. The pair manage to stop the ceremony, and arrest Blackwood, though someone does escape. Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan) comes in and takes possession of Blackwood, and he is set to be hung in 3 months time. In that time Holmes becomes a hermit in his room, never leaving or doing much useful, while Watson prepares to move out to his new place, where he plans on living with Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly) whom he intends to wed. Blackwood requests that Holmes comes before his execution. Holmes finds everyone scared of Blackwood, who has supposedly made a guard sick, and has covered his cell with occult symbols. Blackwood promises there will be 3 more deaths after his execution, and that it will change the world, and outfox Holmes. Watson is there at the hanging and declares Blackwood dead. Holmes has a visitor in the form of Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) the one person who has managed to outwit him, and the love of his life, though she is a thief. She wants him to find a red haired midget for her. Holmes follows her, disguising himself as a beggar, and seeing a man hidden in her coach with a gun in his sleeve. A few days after Blackwood’s execution, Holmes gets a call from Lestrade that Blackwood has rissen from the grave, and broken out from the inside. Holmes takes Watson, as it his reputation as a doctor on the line, and they go to investigate. The game is afoot.
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…
Holmes inspects the Tomb, which has been broken out from the inside. Watson looks at the Witness who is in shock and all he can say is he saw Blackwood. They remove the coffin and in is the red headed dwarf that Irene was looking for. Watson palms a pocket watch on the corpse which leads him to the midget’s home and laboratory, where they discover the remains of various experiments, and some burnt paper with Blackwood’s crest on it. 2 Arsonists and a huge French Giant come in and they have a huge fight, and end up getting arrested for property damage, as they end up sinking a huge ship in a drydock for repairs.
Watson is bailed out by Mary, and Holmes must wait until Lestrade comes and gets him and he is taken to the Temple of the Four Orders, a secret society in which Blackwood was a member. Holmes is asked by the Home secretary Lord Coward (Hans Matheson) and Blackwood’s father to Blackwood.
Blackwood ends up killing his father in his bath, and another who opposes him at a society meeting, where the man shoots his gun and bursts into flames. Blackwood then takes control of the order, and has Coward order an arrest warrant for Holmes.
Holmes and Watson go to a slaughterhouse, and find that Blackwhood has captured Irene, and they just manage to rescue her, but as they escape Watson trips an explosion. Holmes sees Watson wounded in the hospital in disguise and then goes to solve the mystery.
Holmes figures out that the target is parliament from Lord Coward and what he said, and then dives from a window and is rescued by Watson and Irene on a waiting rescue boat.
Homes, Watson and Irene go into the tunnels below Parliament and find a machine guarded again by the French Giant. It was made by the red haired midget, and will release cyanide on cue and kill parliament, except the followers of the order (whome Blackwood has already given the antidote.
THey manage to stop the machine, and Irene runs with the cyanide cylinder, with Holmes chasing her to the unfinished Tower Bridge, and followed by Blackwood. Blackwood knocks her off the tower, though she lands on a lower platform. Holmes explains how all of Blackwood’s mysticism were simple science, and there was no occult.
A crane falls, and ends up entangling Blackwood, and he ends up falling and hanging off the bridge (huh? Why did this happen? Could have been done so much better!).
Holmes confronts Irene about her motives, and learns that the man in the carriage was Professor Moriarty (who we all know to be Holmes big nemesis), and allows her to leave.
Holmes explains to Watson how Blackwood fakes his own death with a drug, and was hung on a harness, and his tomb was preset to break and made to look whole, but was easily broken.
Now it is time to investigate Moriarty.
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Decent, but not too impressive. Could have been wittier, and the whole thing with the crane was just stupid. Come on, Holmes can fight, so lets see a fight and Blackwood fall, but not just him getting killed by a crane!!
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