NOT the Worst Sherlock Holmes Movie I've Ever Seen

[rusty_armour]

This will probably come as a huge shock to some of you, but I didn't hate the Ritchie film. I actually liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Now, I should probably point out that I still can't buy Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes. Well, not in terms of regular canon, anyway. However, I can buy him as an alternate universe Sherlock Holmes. In fact, when I viewed the whole film as a kind of alternate universe, I found I could accept it a lot more easily.

I won't bother addressing the plot as that's pretty much non-existent. As jackycomelately argues, the film is about Holmes's attempt to stop Watson's marriage and, after seeing the film, I agree. As The Sign of Four is my favourite Holmes novel, it was great to see Mary Morstan. Of course, I had to wrap my head around the fact that Mary Morstan was never Holmes's client and that Holmes's first meeting with her wasn't until that disastrous meal in the restaurant. It was around this point that I started thinking of the film as being AU. All the same, it was fun to watch Mary Morstan throw wine in Holmes's face and see through his disguise at the hospital. I was reminded a bit of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of Silk Stocking, as this film also dealt with Holmes having to accept Watson's upcoming matrimony (to a different woman than Mary Morstan).

While the similarity between the Ritchie film and Sherlock Holmes and the Case of Silk Stocking is probably coincidental, the screenwriters have obviously seen The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone as that scene where Holmes is trying to get rid of flies with his violin comes straight from that movie. I would also argue that the writers were influenced by Young Sherlock Holmes with the Ritchie film's religious cult and sacrifice of young women. Speaking of the religious cult, I'm assuming that it's supposed to represent Freemasonry. The Freemasons got a bad rap in Murder by Decree and a recent episode of Murdoch Mysteries, which isn't Sherlock Holmes but is set in the Victorian period.

While I couldn't buy Robert Downey Jr. in terms of regular Holmes canon, I did like the touches of canon that were included. It was great to see Holmes delivering so many classic lines straight from canon. He also had some of Holmes's characteristics and little idiosyncrasies. I got a kick out of seeing him shoot V.R. into the wall of the flat. I also thought it was hilarious that he and Watson had a bulldog named Gladstone, as Watson refers to having a bull pup in A Study in Scarlet when he and Holmes first discuss sharing rooms together. However, the bull pup is never referred to again, so I had always assumed that Holmes convinced Watson to get rid of it. Looking at the Ritchie film as an AU, I have to wonder if Gladstone is that same bull pup. As Watson is much more assertive in this film (going so far as to punch Holmes in the cab when Holmes delivers that classic "You have the grand gift of silence" line), I could easily see him refusing to get rid of the bull pup.

I quite like Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler. My friend E felt that there was too large an age gap between her and Holmes (an age gap that's only four years in canon), but maybe Irene Adler lied about her age (saying she was older to be taken more seriously) much in the same way Holmes pretended to be older in the Laurie R. King universe. Well, age difference aside, I agree with jackycomelately about Rachel McAdams' screen presence and ability to carry off the role. I found it really interesting that Irene Adler was working for Moriarty. It reminded me of David Stuart Davies' The Veiled Detective, where virtually everyone in Holmes's life is working for Moriarty.

Of course, the thing that everyone raves about when discussing this film is the relationship between Holmes and Watson. There is definitely slash appeal, and Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have some serious screen chemistry. They seem to work almost seamlessly together and they were a lot of fun to watch on screen. I'd say the Holmes-Watson relationship is one of the strengths of the Ritchie film. I was also very impressed with the art direction and special effects. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the film recreated Victorian London. I thought it was a nice touch that Tower Bridge was shown as only being partially built -- and it made a great setting for the final showdown between Holmes and Blackwood.

Well, I could probably say more, but it's getting late and I think I've rambled on enough. To sum up for anyone who skimmed through this post quickly, the Ritchie film was better than I expected and I think it works well as an alternate universe version of Sherlock Holmes.

Comments

[jackycomelately.livejournal.com]

NOT the Worst Sherlock Holmes Movie I've Ever Seen

Hee, I'll take it.

As always I'm impressed with your memory for details. I can't believe you only saw it once and remembered both mine and E's comments.

Yup, I love that Watson is much more assertive in this film. Holmes of course is much more obvious about being an emotional mess. However, I don't think that's really inconsistent with canon. Holmes just sublimated it in his tendency toward melodrama and play acting. Being bad at the play acting is of course a sign of how upset he is at Watson's bedside. Interesting contrast to how good he is at it when chasing Irene Adler. He goes from James Bond to Jacques Clouseau.

I think it should have been shorter, and I'm not much for some of the more farcical scenes. However, I loved the look of it it, the steam punk elements, and their relationship.

So, what? No review of Live Free or Die Hard?

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

NOT the Worst Sherlock Holmes Movie I've Ever Seen

Hee, I'll take it.

LOL! Well, compared to how I felt during my boycotting campaign, I'd say this is amazing progress! *g*

As always I'm impressed with your memory for details. I can't believe you only saw it once and remembered both mine and E's comments.

Well, it helps that I wrote this right after watching the film. If I tried writing it today, I'd probably be floundering a bit. Of course, I managed to forget my lunch at home, so that might give you an indication of what state my brain is in today. *g*

BTW, there's a detail I didn't get right. In my review, I mentioned that the Freemasons were the villains in A Study in Scarlet when it was the Mormons! Isn't that mortifying? I actually turned on my computer this morning just to fix this huge faux pas. Maybe that's why I forgot my lunch. *g*

Yup, I love that Watson is much more assertive in this film. Holmes of course is much more obvious about being an emotional mess. However, I don't think that's really inconsistent with canon. Holmes just sublimated it in his tendency toward melodrama and play acting. Being bad at the play acting is of course a sign of how upset he is at Watson's bedside. Interesting contrast to how good he is at it when chasing Irene Adler. He goes from James Bond to Jacques Clouseau.

Yes, it's refreshing to see a more assertive Watson. I completely agree with you about Holmes sublimating his emotional problems in canon through his tendency towards melodrama and play acting. And I think part of the reason why Mary Morstan recognized Holmes at Watson's bedside was that she was expecting to see him there, so that would have given her an edge in the deductive logic department. And, yes, RDJ's Holmes did a wonderful job of play acting while he was tailing Irene Adler. I should have mentioned it in my review, but it had hints of "Scandal in Bohemia". :-)

I think it should have been shorter, and I'm not much for some of the more farcical scenes. However, I loved the look of it it, the steam punk elements, and their relationship.

I don't know if the movie seemed longer because of the weak plot or if it was because so much was going on in terms of special effects, etc. In any case, it did seem a little on the long side.

I had heard that the art direction was really good, but I didn't really believe it until I sat down and watched the film. It's very rich visually and I appreciate the detail that went into the steam punk elements and certain historical details, such as the incomplete Tower Bridge. Of course, the Holmes/Watson relationship was one of the film's great strengths. :-)

So, what? No review of Live Free or Die Hard?

LOL! It's certainly tempting! I think I could write a couple of paragraphs on that scene with the F-35 alone! *g*