Sherlock Holmes (2009) (PG-13)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Starring: Robert Downey, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Eddie Marsan
Daughter Says:
Sherlock Holmes, that's all you really need for the explanation of this movie, but I shall tell you what it's about anyway.
This movie takes place in old time London, where we meet two unique men. One is a detective and the other a doctor. Of course, their names are Sherlock Holmes, played by Robert Downey Jr., and Dr. John Watson, played by Jude Law.
Sherlock Holmes starts out with action and ends with action. We are taken on a chase through downtown London in search of a man who can do "voodoo". They finally catch the murderer of five different women, played by Mark Strong, in the act of killing another. So after being locked away and soon hung, the killings continue. But how may you ask? That is for Holmes to know and you to find out.
This movie was action packed, but very smart. You have to pay attention to every word the actors say for you to fully comprehend whats going on. Other than having to think a whole lot, this movie was fun and exciting. I do recommend doing a little research on Sherlock Holmes and his past before watching, because there are some parts that aren't clear for someone who doesn't know about Holmes and his past.
The character in Sherlock Holmes was cast very well, in my opinion. I thought Robert Downey Jr. did a wonderful job as the main character and his sidekick was just as good. Also casting a real professional wrestler made one of the fighting scenes humorous, in a way. I also thought that Mark Strong did a great job at playing a creepy man with "secret powers". I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves a good detective movie.
My rating for Sherlock Holmes: ****
Daddy Says:
I've been looking forward to this movie for a long time. I've been a long time fan of Sherlock Holmes. I've read all the Arthur Conan Doyle stories about the great detective. I've watched the old series starring Jeremy Brett as the cranky, yet brilliant sleuth. And when the trailers appeared showing Robert Downey Jr. as the titular detective I felt this could be a perfect match. And as it turns out, I wasn't too disappointed.
Robert Downey Jr. adds another charming performance to his resume. The young man whom I watched back in the 80's (and didn't think I'd see live to see this decade), has turned into one of the most reliable actors in the cinema, putting together a string of truly great performances in his work over the last decade. When I watch him, I am reminded of Cary Grant; how charming he could be, how witty, and yet a man of action when need be.
Unfortunately, he is let down by a very mediocre script. There just isn't much to it, not enough substance. I know that Sherlock Holmes is supposed to be a genius, but when he reveals how he came to solve the mystery at the end of the film, it feels very random. When Holmes reveals how he came to his deductions in the stories, he always explained that anyone could come to the same conclusions he had if they only had his knowledge, or knew what to look for. In the film, we not only don't know what to look for, we're not really aware that any looking is being done.
Part of this falls to the director as well. I've liked some of Guy Ritchie's movies, but he really only excels at action, not acting. And the action here is really very good. During Holmes' fights, he explains what he's going to do in slow-motion, step-by-step, then we see it happen at full speed in real time. I only wish the rest of the film had done this too.
Rating for Sherlock Holmes: ***1/2
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Starring: Robert Downey, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Eddie Marsan
Daughter Says:
Sherlock Holmes, that's all you really need for the explanation of this movie, but I shall tell you what it's about anyway.
This movie takes place in old time London, where we meet two unique men. One is a detective and the other a doctor. Of course, their names are Sherlock Holmes, played by Robert Downey Jr., and Dr. John Watson, played by Jude Law.
Sherlock Holmes starts out with action and ends with action. We are taken on a chase through downtown London in search of a man who can do "voodoo". They finally catch the murderer of five different women, played by Mark Strong, in the act of killing another. So after being locked away and soon hung, the killings continue. But how may you ask? That is for Holmes to know and you to find out.
This movie was action packed, but very smart. You have to pay attention to every word the actors say for you to fully comprehend whats going on. Other than having to think a whole lot, this movie was fun and exciting. I do recommend doing a little research on Sherlock Holmes and his past before watching, because there are some parts that aren't clear for someone who doesn't know about Holmes and his past.
The character in Sherlock Holmes was cast very well, in my opinion. I thought Robert Downey Jr. did a wonderful job as the main character and his sidekick was just as good. Also casting a real professional wrestler made one of the fighting scenes humorous, in a way. I also thought that Mark Strong did a great job at playing a creepy man with "secret powers". I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves a good detective movie.
My rating for Sherlock Holmes: ****
Daddy Says:
I've been looking forward to this movie for a long time. I've been a long time fan of Sherlock Holmes. I've read all the Arthur Conan Doyle stories about the great detective. I've watched the old series starring Jeremy Brett as the cranky, yet brilliant sleuth. And when the trailers appeared showing Robert Downey Jr. as the titular detective I felt this could be a perfect match. And as it turns out, I wasn't too disappointed.
Robert Downey Jr. adds another charming performance to his resume. The young man whom I watched back in the 80's (and didn't think I'd see live to see this decade), has turned into one of the most reliable actors in the cinema, putting together a string of truly great performances in his work over the last decade. When I watch him, I am reminded of Cary Grant; how charming he could be, how witty, and yet a man of action when need be.
Unfortunately, he is let down by a very mediocre script. There just isn't much to it, not enough substance. I know that Sherlock Holmes is supposed to be a genius, but when he reveals how he came to solve the mystery at the end of the film, it feels very random. When Holmes reveals how he came to his deductions in the stories, he always explained that anyone could come to the same conclusions he had if they only had his knowledge, or knew what to look for. In the film, we not only don't know what to look for, we're not really aware that any looking is being done.
Part of this falls to the director as well. I've liked some of Guy Ritchie's movies, but he really only excels at action, not acting. And the action here is really very good. During Holmes' fights, he explains what he's going to do in slow-motion, step-by-step, then we see it happen at full speed in real time. I only wish the rest of the film had done this too.
Rating for Sherlock Holmes: ***1/2
No comments:
Post a Comment