Holmes holds true with new twist (Posted 12/26/2009 01:01 pm)
Taking a classic character like Sherlock Holmes and giving him a facelift can be a dangerous move. But Guy Ritchie is no stranger to making dangerous moves.

Ritchie’s newest film, Sherlock Holmes, takes the beloved title character and his partner, Watson, and delivers a new interpretation of the story. The famous detective is played by Robert Downey Jr. and Dr. John Watson is played by Jude Law.

Law is a young, athletic man, a far cry from the portly, bumbling partner most readers of the books believed Watson to be — just one of the various differences found in the film.

After catching serial killer and occult leader Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), Holmes and Watson close the case and prepare to part ways as Watson plans to marry and move out of his shared house with Holmes on Baker Street.

Holmes and Watson are called back to action when Blackwood then returns from the grave and resumes his killing spree.

Holmes’ ex-girlfriend and thief Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) also joins the mix to help — and sometimes hinder — Holmes in his operation.

I am a sucker for mystery and love trying to figure out what is happening and trying to deduce the full scheme before the character announces it to the audience. What I like even more, however, is when I can’t figure out what is going on and when it is finally revealed, I am shocked and pleased the writers could trick me so easily.

The best character and film for this is Sherlock Holmes. The films twists and turns captured my thoughts and made me pay even closer attention to the film, making me more involved and, therefore, making me enjoy the film even more.

The Ritchie version of Sherlock Holmes is less proper detective and more gritty, drunken fighter. I personally like the Ritchie version more because I am a fan of Batman — the modern day Holmes.

Ritchie has a knack for casting the perfect person for all of the various roles in his films. The choice may seem perfect or they may seem strange, but they always work and propel the movie into greatness.

With his recent comeback on the film circuit, Downey has proven he can charm audiences and make them root for whoever he is playing. Law also does a great job of being a double threat with his good looks and his acting talent.

For whatever reason, it is always surprising to see a good-looking guy have a sense of humor and be likeable. He is eye-candy for the ladies and he has some great fight scenes for the men to enjoy.

The fighting sequences are some of the best parts of the film because of how unexpected it is and the martial arts aspect of the brawling. Ritchie takes a clever route with Holmes, making him an excellent fighter because of his deducing ways. The detective walks through the outcome of the fight before it happens to ensure a victory, then proceeds to kick, punch and headbutt his way through a various amount of baddies.

The humor is an important part of the film. Downey’s quick wit and the banter between himself and Law adds a levity to the film which pulls the audience even further into the story.

The film is one of the most entertaining movies of the year and worth going to see with the family. It is has something for everyone and delivers in the end. There are moments children might find scary and the twists and turns might be a little too much for a younger mind who would rather be watching a trio of chipmunks singing pop songs.