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If there exists another film, TV show, or book that makes deductive reasoning and Victorian era procedural investigations as invigorating as the new Sherlock Holmes](Sherlock Holmes (2009) - Movie | Moviefone) does, then I am sorely missing out. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve always loved the character in all of his incarnations, but Guy Ritchie’s film is positively bursting with an energetic infatuation with the classic logician that is so infectious that by the 10 minute mark only the most prickly purists around will be able to resit its considerable charms.
In retrospect, this should come as no surprise. After a string of indelible, charismatic performances across a wide array of genres, Robert Downey Jr. seemed a perfect match for the curious sleuth. RocknRolla](RocknRolla (2008) - Movie | Moviefone) broke director Ritchie’s dry spell, announcing a return to form for the man who created Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. The supporting cast filled out nicely, particularly Jude Law fitting the bill as Holmes’ partner in anti-crime, Watson, whilst the first trailers looked to promise an enjoyable, unique romp around the back alleys of Victorian London. And yet with as many good omens as Warner Brothers had in their corner, few outsiders could have predicted just how harmonious the entire production would come together. It may be the last major studio film to release in 2009, but in due time Sherlock Holmes will outshine most of the big-budget, CGI-heavy studio tent-pole films of the past summer.
It opens with Holmes and Watson on the precipice of solving a case involving robed figures who chant in the shadows while a young woman lays upon a sacrificial alter and within minutes we know exactly what kind of an adventure we’re in for. There’s no need to dwell on long-winded character introductions. Watson and Holmes have an instantly recognizeable fraternal and professional relationship, there’s an obvious villain character by way of the snaggletoothed Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) who has no qualms with letting Holmes know he has dark plans for the future, and an unexplained but not unclear history between the three. It’s an impressive, audience-hooking sequence operating with an Indiana Jones-esque efficiency that’s rare in Hollywood these days.