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Sherlock Holmes: a caricature portrait
Jan. 24th, 2010 12:58 amFor the first time since I took my kids to see "Where the Wild Things Are" back in October, I went to the movies, and saw "Sherlock Holmes". It was good in the way that too much fast food is good: it addresses the craving and fills the void inside, but doesn't leave you nearly as satisfied as you were anticipating.
As Holmes, Robert Downy, Jr. is, as nearly always, very good; and Jude Law provided some unexpected and entertaining comic relief. The problem with the movie wasn't the acting, it was the story, which itself wasn't terribly Holmesian. I'm also left to wonder if the complete absence of Holmes' cocaine addition was because of Downy's history, or in spite of it. Rachel McAdams (who I've in the past confused with Elizabeth Banks), was a believable Irena
Adler, although her character's role is quite reduced in the film compared to the Conan Doyle stories, which I think added to the caricature effect by making Holmes even larger-than-life than the plot alone was doing.
It's a great action-adventure flick, but only a so-so detective film, as the question of "who dunnit?" is hardly ever in question at all. I've no clue if he'd agree, but there are inevitable comparisons to be made between Downy's portrayal of Tony Stark in "Iron Man" to his performance as Holmes--and to the point where it's conceivable that the characters could (hypothetically) switch movies and have neither work suffer too greatly for it.
As Holmes, Robert Downy, Jr. is, as nearly always, very good; and Jude Law provided some unexpected and entertaining comic relief. The problem with the movie wasn't the acting, it was the story, which itself wasn't terribly Holmesian. I'm also left to wonder if the complete absence of Holmes' cocaine addition was because of Downy's history, or in spite of it. Rachel McAdams (who I've in the past confused with Elizabeth Banks), was a believable Irena
Adler, although her character's role is quite reduced in the film compared to the Conan Doyle stories, which I think added to the caricature effect by making Holmes even larger-than-life than the plot alone was doing.
It's a great action-adventure flick, but only a so-so detective film, as the question of "who dunnit?" is hardly ever in question at all. I've no clue if he'd agree, but there are inevitable comparisons to be made between Downy's portrayal of Tony Stark in "Iron Man" to his performance as Holmes--and to the point where it's conceivable that the characters could (hypothetically) switch movies and have neither work suffer too greatly for it.
