Sherlock Holmes (2009) Review

On my flight back from Malaysia, the last film that I decided to watch was Sherlock Holmes, I have seen this film a few times and was looking forward to seeing it again so is here my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Sherlock Holmes attempt to stop a sinister plot from destroying London at its core. 

Main Character

Robert Downey Jr plays the titular character and he is fantastic in the role. You really see his intelligence and the way his mind works and I thought Downey really nailed the feel of an investigator that Holmes clearly is. It is hard to take your eyes off of him on screen and that is great to see in this film. 

Supporting Characters

Jude Law plays Doctor Watson and he is really great too. The chemistry between him and Downey is off the charts and they just blend incredibly well and it is one of the real driving forces of the film and his performance drives that. 

Rachel McAdams plays Irene Adler and she is a lot of fun here. She is a very quick witted character and she also had great chemistry with Downey. The inclusion of her character is mainly to set up the sequel but she is fun to watch. 

Mark Strong plays the villain Lord Blackwood and though the character isn't particularly interesting Strong does enough to deliver a fun performance and makes him the appropriate adversary for Holmes in this film. 

Kelly Reilly plays Mary Morstan who is Watson's Fiancé and even though she isn't in the film a huge amount but she is a fun addition and the constant arguing with Holmes is pretty entertaining. 

Story

The story is really interesting, it is a genuine mystery and watching Holmes and Watson try to figure it out with all the twists and turns is interesting. There is also clearly a development in their partnership and that grows as the film progresses, the villains motivation isn't the best but the way the film explains it makes it sound really cool and interesting. 

Script

The script has some really quick and charming dialogue. The characters interact really well and the dialogue makes them more interesting. Though I will say that this film does fall short on its dramatic moments and dialogue, I never felt fear for the characters or really care about them being in peril even though the film does try. 

Style

I really liked the visual style of this film, old school London looks really great and it just feels like a world that director Guy Ritchie would create and it very much fit this interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. The action scenes were also really good, they use some unique techniques to explain the action and I really liked it. 

Overall

Overall, Sherlock Holmes is a fantastic film that is a really fun watch. The cast do a great job and I loved the investigative nature of the film. Definitely give this film a go and I am pretty sure you will really enjoy it like I do.

Rating - 9/10