Sherlock Holmes (DVD)
Guy Ritchie's latest effort, Sherlock Holmes, is a fresh, exciting and highly entertaining interpretation of the famous fictional detective that delivers a whole new take on the Baker Street legend.
Robert Downey Jnr's interpretation of Holmes is far from the well-mannered gentleman. Rather he is a gritty and eccentric, yet adorable and almost childlike character with an obsessive love of solving puzzles.
With the help of his doctor partner Watson (Jude Law), Holmes catches Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) red-handed as he performs the latest in a string of ritual murders. After his apparent death, the practitioner of dark magic returns and terrorises Victorian London. The detectives must combine logic and brute force to defeat an evil that threatens England.
Ritchie does an amazing job of balancing dark suspense with light humour and intertwining slick fight scenes and cool flashbacks that keep you guessing throughout.
The chemistry between Downey and Law is hugely enjoyable. Their frequent verbal disputes contribute humour, making Holmes and Watson one of the convincing bromances in recent years. Solid acting from the menacing Strong, and Rachel McAdams' portrayal of the alluring, cunning Irene Adler are icing on the cake.
