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| A tough, sexy Watson and a vulnerable Holmes |
Now first let me say that I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes.....Basil Rathbone....Benedick Cumberbatch.....Jeremy Brett........I have enjoyed every one of the sleuth's reincarnations both on the big screen and on tv....and even though Guy Richie's first foray into the genre (The slightly zany
Sherlock Holmes 2009) was somewhat superhero-ish, I must admit, it was a most enjoyable romp of a movie.
Richie's sequel is very much more of the same.........overly stylised , and cinematically complicated...the movie uses GCI and slow motion visual tricks to highlight Holmes' lightning intellect....so much so, that the audience is whisked away from the "normality" of Baker Street and Victorian London literally within seconds of the opening credits being rolled......
This film is a totally different take on the Conan Doyle's hero...
Robert Downey Jr. makes for a charismatic and rather dangerous Holmes...He is not the asburger loner portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch (my personal favourite Holmes) nor is he a calculating Jeremy Brett, posh toff......he is, in fact, a drug addled,brittle, hyperactive child genius...who relies more on his cool as a cucumber best friend Dr Watson (Jude Law) than ever he did in the original novels
Both actors make the characters their own.... Downey is likable and just vulnerable enough to be always sympathetic....and Law oozes a smart sexiness and toughness which keeps him on level pegging status with Downey on screen.....
Their partnership works beautifully.....
Having said all this, both lead performances are almost eclipsed by Jarred Harris's menacing performance as Professor Moriarty....he makes for a cracking baddie........a necessary foil for Holme's seemingly invincible hero..
Stephen Fry does a nice comic turn as Sherlock's brother Mycroft and Noomi Replace ( the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) even turns up as a Gypsy fortune teller...... it's all very silly, it's all very showy.... and it's all great fun.....
A new Sherlock Holmes franchise continues
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| Stephen Fry as Mycroft |
Blimey. If ever you became bored with your small holding, you could always make a living as a theatre critic...
ReplyDeleteStephen Fry as Mycroft - that was a good move. He's such a clever dick in real life, that he is perfectly suited to the part!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit to being put off by the sexed-up Sherlock, but realise it was only a matter of time before GCI caught up with the stories.
ReplyDeleteNice review. I agree with Hippo.
I saw the trailer and thought it looked like fun. Your review was very well written and I will be sure to catch this film in the next few weeks.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing this one.
ReplyDeleteHad to look up cgi!
I can't believe you didn't mention the scene in where Holmes has his legs wrapped around Watson's neck as Watson's ripping his clothes off. That was my favourite, I barely saw the rest. I 'squee'd all over the place.
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, I love the Ritchie movies even though they are a bit superhero-ish. As you know (because I can't shut up about it these last couple of weeks) Cumberbatch's Holmes is my favourite. But RDJ makes every character he plays brilliant, even if it's a departure from the traditional Holmes character sketch.
I thought the second Ritchie movie was even more entertaining than the first. Applause broke out in the theater about four times. I LOVED the ending.
I enjoyed Fry as Mycroft immensely. Fry's always been a favourite of mine from way back. The standoffs between Holmes and Moriarty (the dude that played him was a perfect evil genius) were epic...my favourite bit was when they were playing chess in their heads. My brain was tickled to death.
One for watching whilst the red wine settles methinks...looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteKyna
ReplyDeletethe homoerotic interplay between Holmes and Watson was Richie;s fun I suspect..... as was the scene when the pair danced together in the ballroom!
Hmmm. I found the cast to all be excellent but I still absolutely hated the film. I liked the dark and drug-addled Holmes, but the super-heroish slant didn't do it for me (kind of like when Rupert Everett was in a chase scene and Minnie Driver got a tattoo in "The Importance of Being Ernest."
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the film and none of the reviews have encouraged me to do so!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that BBC's take on a modern day Holmes is excellent and I can't wait for the next ones coming soon.
I haven't seen the film and none of the reviews have encouraged me to do so!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that BBC's take on a modern day Holmes is excellent and I can't wait for the next ones coming soon.
Enjoyed your review...Don and I were fans of Jeremy Brett's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes! I'd thought I wouldn't like this new rendition of Holmes but after your stellar review I believe I'll give it a look!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you enjoyed it so much, John. :)
ReplyDeletetheanne... I suspect purists would hate Downey Jr.... but if you view it as a caper movie rather than a sherlock Holmes movie... then you will enjoy it
ReplyDeleteMy son is a Sherlock Holmes fanatic and his favourite of all time was Jeremy Brett.
ReplyDeleteA very happy Christmas to you both.
I'm with Weaver - Jeremy Brett every time! Though Cumberbatch is better than I thought he'd be.
ReplyDeleteI saw the first Downey Jr/Law movie and thought it was very good, but it shouldn't really have been called anything to do with Sherlock Holmes. Other than the names and the setting I thought it had very little to do with Conan Doyle.
I enjoyed the first film and am looking forward to this one. And it has Noomi Rapace! She was fantastic in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I've popped this comment further down the posts so as not to draw attention to it. Take a look at my latest post and if there is ANYTHING that you are not happy with, please let me know. My e-mails aren't up and running yet, but hopefully they might be by tomorrow. Sleep tight. xxx
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