Sidewalks On The Corner

This isn't your father's "Sherlock Holmes." This is Holmes for the 21st century -- a fun action packed romp through old world London. Originally created by Sir Arthur Canon Doyle in 1887, Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Dr John H. Watson have undergone many incarnations through out the years. This time around Holmes and Watson (Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law) receive a fresh make over.

Follow up:

SHERLOCK HOLMES
Warner Bros. Pictures • Village Roadshow Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG - 13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material

Studio Synopsis:
In a dynamic new portrayal of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous characters, “Sherlock Holmes” sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country.

The action-adventure mystery “Sherlock Holmes” is helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Guy Ritchie, for Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures. Robert Downey Jr. brings the legendary detective to life, and Jude Law stars as Holmes’ trusted colleague, Watson, a doctor and war veteran who is a formidable ally for Sherlock Holmes. Rachel McAdams stars as Irene Adler, the only woman ever to have bested Holmes and who has maintained a tempestuous relationship with the detective. Mark Strong stars as their mysterious new adversary, Blackwood. Kelly Reilly plays Watson’s love interest, Mary.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a Silver Pictures Production, in association with Wigram Productions, a Guy Ritchie Film, “Sherlock Holmes.” With a screenplay by Michael Robert Johnson and Anthony Peckham and Simon Kinberg, screen story by Lionel Wigram and Michael Robert Johnson, the film is produced by Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey and Dan Lin. Michael Tadross and Bruce Berman serve as executive producers.

Director GUY RITCHIE (center) with ROBERT DOWNEY JR. (left) and JUDE LAW on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures` and Village Roadshow Pictures` action-adventure mystery Sherlock Holmes, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Alex Bailey.

J.P.'s Take:
The dynamic duo of Holmes and Watson are not the straight-laced, clean-cut characters of yesterday. After watching the new "Sherlock Holmes" movie, I got the sense that the filmmakers wanted a late 19th century James Bond. Like Bond, the crime-solving detective is an expert in martial arts who can disarm his enemies without hesitation. And he's just as quick to walk right into trouble, as he is finding a clever way out of it.

I like the fact that he’s frumpy around the edges, sporting a worn out old robe that which is showing signs that it has been around for ages. Yet at the same time he’s still the dapperly-dressed sleuth everyone is used to. Thank goodness director Guy Ritchie and producer Joel Silver was able to keep Sherlock’s trademark intellectual prowess intact. Anyone who knows the character well knows he’s a highly observant forensics expert. With calculated precision, he’s able to solve a crime, as if he were playing chess. What makes this film so amusing to watch is the fresh energy the entire cast brings to the characters and story.

The chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law is vibrant, even feisty. They bicker back and forth as if they were old college buddies sharing an apartment together. The comedy works well because of Downey’s delivery, keeping the audience on their toes with snappy one-liners. Apparently Downey is able to relate that famous dry British wit quite well, considering that the fact that he doesn’t seem like the likely actor for the role. Law complements him well with his own style of smart mouthed humor. He is not just a pretty boy fresh-faced talent. There’s a certain maturity he brings to the role as if he were the real brain of the operation. He can be wise but fun, and just as feisty as Holmes, making him the perfect sidekick.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. as Sherlock Holmes and RACHEL McADAMS as Irene Adler in Warner Bros. Pictures` and Village Roadshow Pictures`' action-adventure mystery Sherlock Holmes, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Alex Bailey.

Rachel McAdams brings a certain mysterious, understated sensuality to the character, Irene Adler. She’s not just sexy; she’s also shady. I like the way McAdams slips into this role nicely, playing Irene as the two-faced butt-kicking vixen. And she does it quite well, because you can’t quite tell whether her feelings for Holmes are genuine or coaxed by out side influences. The Dracula-like Lord Blackwood, played by Mark Strong, felt like a real villain. Strong was a stand out as Blackwood simply because of his sheer confidence in how he played the character. Unlike Eric Bana’s portrayal of Nero in "Star Trek" (2009), Blackwood didn’t just make idle threats; he actually carried them out with conviction.

The story itself is somewhat of an intricately woven quilt of details, yet not terribly difficult to follow. However, it’s one of those types of films where you have to take a second look just to catch all those little parts to get the full effect of the story. The only thing that caught me off guard is how quickly you can miss key points in solving the mystery. This means if you don’t pay close attention to some of the plot lines you just may miss some vital info. As the movie comes to a close, there is a nice surprise towards the end, as the audience catches a glimpse of the famous arch nemesis of Sherlock Holmes, Professor Moriarty. Obviously hinting at a possible sequel.

The new "Sherlock Holmes" serves as both a reintroduction to the legendary characters and a continuation of the legendary crime sleuth's legacy. All of his mannerisms are there. Almost all of the characters fans know and love are also present. Only this time around Holmes and Watson are more of the rough and tumble type. Long time readers and viewers of the old TV classics I believe will get a big kick out of the revamped version. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wouldn’t mind seeing it again.

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J.P. Langston is a member of "Sidewalks Entertainment" team primarily as a videographer. He loves movies, especially sci-fi horror and action comedies. Some of his favorite films include "Blade Runner" "The Matrix Trilogy," The (original) "Star Wars," "Equilibrium," "Serenity," "Kill Bill Vols 1 and 2," "Appleseed," "Unbreakable" and "Sin City." He has a large DVD collection, which is still growing. Since reviewing films for "Sidewalks," he has been expanding his palette for all types of films.