Ironically, for a film about the greatest detective of all time Sherlock Holmes is a largely clueless affair.
Why, for starters, would you cast someone as brilliant as Robert Downey Jr in the lead role and then not give him anything decent to do?
Few blockbusters this year have a had a more feeble plot than Sherlock Holmes, with the sleuth and his sidekick Watson (Jude Law) trying to thwart a ridiculous plan by the satanic Lord Blackwood, who seemingly has the power to come back from the dead.
Thrown in for good measure is love-interest Irene (Rachel McAdams), who adds little to the story.
There are a few good fist fights and explosions but the action scenes never really blow your hair back.
Despite having little to work with, Downey Jr still manages to be entertaining in that cocky, camp sort of way. He is ably assisted by Law, and the pair’s constant bickering is one of the film’s few highlights.
As for director Guy Ritchie, he fails to put his stamp on Sherlock Holmes, delivering a muddled, long movie that makes too many elementary mistakes to be seen as a successful launch of a franchise.
Good for: Fans of Downey Jr, not Sherlock Holmes.
Pierre de Villiers
