It’s elementary, dear reader. A roguish leading man (Robert Downey Jr, Iron Man, The Soloist), a strong supporting cast (well, at least Jude Law, The Holiday, Closer), a hip and young-ish director (Guy Ritchie, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), and a sexy script does a good film make.
You all know the story – Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Watson investigate nefarious deeds that hint at horror, but can eventually be explained away by science. Though perhaps you don’t know Sherlock Holmes quite like this. Guy Ritchie adds sex and rock’n'roll to the classic – along with his trademark slow-mo action sequences – and makes the franchise feel fresh again. Holmes is a genius detective and impossible person – equal parts witty Oscar Wilde, and tortured Byronic hero. Watson is the wounded soldier from Afghanistan – just as he was in the original novels – but is worlds away from the slightly muddled subordinate immortalised in pop culture. Instead, Jude Law’s Watson is an ass-kicking, hotheaded equal – the perfect partner for finicky Holmes. And that moustache – perfect. 
Holmes and Watson discover evil is afoot, and engage in a battle of wits with the serial-killer and sorcerer Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong, The Young Victoria, Rocknrolla), seeking to save the temptress Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls, State of Play) – and more importantly, good ol’ lady Britannia.
While Guy Ritchie has already faced some criticism for this super-slick, heavy on the attitude adaptation, it seems to be somewhat unfair. The point of an adaptation is to bring something new to the table, to add something to the legend – not merely reproduce the same tired clichés over and over. The contemporary attitude and humour in the period setting is actually quite an appealing anachronism. The cinematography is fun and finished, and the detailed sets make this film a pleasure to watch. This adaptation ends up being Sherlock does Steampunk, and it’s a subgenre that the classic wears well.
This version of Holmes also gets a clue, and plays up the relationship between Holmes and Watson to great effect. With an obvious homoerotic take on the material, they are an entertaining odd couple.
Unfortunately, the elementary feel of the film also lends itself to an elementary and predictable outcome – and a long and laboured set-up for the sequel, which had this reviewer worrying that there was going to be a second act to the film proper. And, unsurprisingly, for a Guy Ritchie film, it veers to the visually violent and erratic, and also melodramatic. The big reveal of this review is: Sherlock Holmes is a ridiculous film, but no less fun for it. Obviously it does not set out to be the kind of intellectual giant that it’s title character is supposed to be, but it is an incredibly enjoyable way to while away a couple of hours. Case closed.
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong
