Robert Downey Jr. dives into yet another iconic role as the title
character in director Guy Ritchie’s inventive, sometimes
exhilarating take on the classic sleuth. While the famous detective
still puffs on his pipe, he’s now a super badass street fighter
with major self-esteem issues and a dark sense of humor. He’s
also a really lousy roommate. Joining Downey Jr. as Dr. Watson, in what
turns out to be his best screen time in quite awhile, is former
megastar Jude Law. The two actors prove to be a winning combination,
and while the mystery sometimes feels more Scooby Doo than
Arthur Conan Doyle, the action set pieces are so good they overcome any
scripting shortfalls. The normally reliable Rachel McAdams is the
film’s weakest link as the love interest, and Mark Strong makes
for an uninteresting villain. Even with the flaws, Downey Jr. and Law
are worth seeing.
Sherlock Holmes
