When people exclaim “No @#$% Sherlock,” they are usually evoking the popular British detective brought to life by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The series of mysteries show how Sherlock Holmes [SHOLM] and his trusted assistant Watson ingeniously solve crime after crime which no other detective can crack. The stories have been adapted previously with Basil Rathbone playing Holmes in a series of films.
This weekend, Guy Ritchie [GRITC] does his own rendition of the character for contemporary audiences starring Robert Downey Jr. [RDOWN] and Jude Law [JLAW] as Watson. Doyle created an immensely well-rounded character who utilized intellect, literature, disguises and martial arts to arrive at his infamous solutions. Holmes would let no stone unturned in his deductions which would always lead him to the guilty party. Ritchie’s film will concentrate on the use of martial arts and Holmes as a maverick, a womanizing character courting trouble at every turn.
With Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel [ALVN2] crooning at the box office and mainstay Avatar [AVATR] returning for another helping, Christmas weekend has many a choice for the moviegoer. What does Holmes offer for those interested? A great cast is one of the obvious draws. Besides the charming team of Downey and Law, Rachel McAdams [RMCAD] plays the only woman character ever to outwit Holmes. The role of Irene Adler, an opera singer who appeared in one story, has been expanded to be the love interest and foil of Holmes.
Finally, the script combines the great plot devices from the stories, presenting Holmes with a villain who seems to have returned from the dead to ignite widespread destruction. Billed as Holmes and Watson’s greatest challenge, Sherlock Holmes is proving to be a good respite for those who love a smart, sassy film. If you have one more thing to do this weekend, check out the detective and his crew as they race to save Great Britain.
Tag(s): SHOLM, GRITC, RDOWN, JLAW, ALVN2, AVATR, RMCAD