Sherlock Holmes: Sleuth turns superhero! review

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In today’s post modernist era of remixes and makeovers, it was only a matter of time before the world’s favorite detective Sherlock Holmes would also reboot for the twenty first century. And with Guy Ritchie at the helm and quirky “Ironman” Robert Downey Jr. as the leading man, this cinematic rendition has not only become contemporary but also downright irreverent. Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes is no longer the sophisticated armchair sleuth who uses his genius to solve crime but rarely gets his hands dirty. This time around Holmes has gone the Indiana Jones way jumping off half built bridges and tackling baddies double his size, and also foiling an evil genius’ plans for world domination, all with tongue firmly in cheek! Aiding him in his crusade ably is loyal doctor Watson (an elegant, understated Jude Law) who in the film is nowhere as silent and long suffering as Conan Doyle’s version. Instead the good doctor has decided to get married and move out much to Holmes’ chagrin, who must use all his persuasive powers to make Watson accompany him in his adventures.

 Ritchie overloads his film with gimmick-laden contraptions worthy of a James Bond film, action scenes that go on for a quarter of an hour and sees Holmes fighting like Spiderman and an unconvincing romance between Holmes and Irene Adler (Yes. The same lady who outwitted Holmes in Doyle’s famous A Scandal in Bohemia). Here, she is more of a traditional “supergirl” as gifted as Holmes but also vulnerable because of her feelings for the detective, and manipulated by an evil mastermind. Their chemistry however is easily overshadowed by the amazing camaraderie between Holmes and Watson who share a love-hate relationship and bicker like a much married couple! It is this quirky, wry male bonding (with homoerotic undertones) that is easily the best thing about the movie and is alone worth the price of admission! And despite having a blockbuster budget Ritchie scores big in the smaller scenes than over the top action sets. Take, for instance, Watson’s moody bulldog who becomes a favored guinea pig for Holmes experiments, or the scene when Holmes (against his better judgement) proceeds to deduce the past life of Watson’s fiancé Mary with disastrous consequences. Or indeed any of the dozen-odd verbal duels between Holmes and Watson.

 The plot (such as it is) is an uneasy mix of a Dan Brown bestseller, any of the four Indiana Jones movies (Temple of Doom came to my mind) and superhero lore in the tradition of Batman or more aptly Ironman. The story involves British politician Lord Blackwood’s (played by Mark Strong) supposed return from the dead after being hanged on charges of black magic and human sacrifices and hatching a hotchpotch plan to conquer the world. Holmes must race against time to save the day and emerge as superhero and Conan Doyle would surely be turning in his grave to see his brilliant, classic stories mutilated this way! But elaborate set pieces and amazing sun drenched cinematography (that creates a smoke filled pre industrialized London) more than compensate. The plot is surely all gibberish and barely makes sense even after all is explained but shadowy references to Holmes legendary nemesis Professor Moriarty will surely have fan pulses racing for a sequel! Britain’s greatest private eye against the “Napolean of Crime”? Now that’s a fight for the ages! Also, after Downey Jr. and Jude Law we there is more inspired casting to follow. Rumor mills are abuzz that Brad Pitt may don the role of the evil professor in the sequel! Inglorious isn’t it?