Movie review: Sherlock Holmes
Jan. 6th, 2010 03:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seriousficThis is actually probably the best movie of the holiday crop, just by virtue of not being preachy, overlong, or have "Squeakuel" in the title. I swear, sometimes I think kids' movies are released just to test the American public's sense of shame. And oh, are we ever wanting.
But onto Sherlock Holmes. Yes, it is the big dumb action movie version of Sherlock Holmes, but it does have likable characters, some witty writing, and some good action sequences (even if they could do a bit more to look more like "Watson fighting bad guys" and less like "people in tweed having an orgy"). Sure, you could argue about how faithful an adaptation is, but there've been so many adaptations of Sherlock Holmes that I don't see how it matters. It's not like with, say, Deadpool, where if they don't get it right then no one is going to make a movie about Deadpool for twenty years. Hell, the last Sherlock Holmes movie made in the US was about Watson being the real genius and Sherlock being just an imbecilic actor that Watson hired to play the part. At least here Watson is good for something other than standing around being not as smart as Holmes.
The thing to keep in mind is that this is a post-House Sherlock Holmes, so his genius is as much self-destructive as it is saving grace and Sherlock's relationship to Watson is a bromance that wouldn't be out of place in a Judd Apatow. Funny how the English Hugh Laurie is the one playing the American doctor, while Robert Downey Jr. is playing the British icon. Ever wonder if we're some other dimension's bizarro world? The film also takes a major cue from Batman Begins, both in emphasizing one little-seen aspect of the mythos (Batman's earthy plausibility, Holmes' badassness) and in the villain tease. Although Holmes does tease too much. Moriarty is basically a supporting character in this, yet they never have that moment where he shows his face and you say "Holy shit, it's Gary Oldman! Awesome!"
That brings me to my one real issue with the film. I don't mind that the villain's plan is stupid (it hinges on convincing his followers that he has nonsense magic powers instead of nonsense science powers), but it's given too short a shrift. There's just so many subplots in this movie that you might think you wandered into the middle of the franchise, not the beginning. To wit...
1. Watson is getting married, and Holmes is worried that his boo will abandon him.
2. Irene Adler, here upgraded from worthy adversary to the love of Holmes' life (!), is back in town.
3. Professor Moriarty, who can't be that hard to find since they know that he's a professor and his name is Moriarty, is up to no good.
4. Lord Blackwood is planning to take over the world.
Those all get about equal screentime. The movie never does a very good job of juggling all this, so when something happens like Moriarty bitching that Irene has given into her feelings for Holmes, you're like "wait, when did this happen?" I think the script was rewritten one too many times. How else do you explain a scene where Watson is blown to smithereens, in "he's dead, Jim" slo-mo, then five seconds later someone assures Holmes that he's okay, and five minutes later Watson is back on his feet and ready to kick some occult tail. Uh, thanks for that five seconds of drama, movie. I was really worried for those five seconds. Or the bit where Sherlock and Watson fight off a group of baddies in a comparatively low-key fistfight, then they pursue one of the henchman into a shipyard where they end up destroying an entire boat. How is that guy that much of a threat, he was running for his life from you not three seconds ago?
But none of that really matters, since it has Robert Downey Jr. acting bitchy and Jude Law acting exasperated, and they actually have pretty decent chemistry. Yeah, Sherlock Holmes fans, if you thought this movie was the worst thing that could happen to your precious books, get ready for the yaoi fans. Oh, you better believe Sherlock's a bishie.
So, go see it and enjoy the rare movie where the Iron Man 2 trailer isn't the best part of the experience.
Oh, also, the movie does have one too many "cut to a reaction shot from the dog so the audience laughs" moments. If you want to complain about something, Sherfen, complain about that.
But onto Sherlock Holmes. Yes, it is the big dumb action movie version of Sherlock Holmes, but it does have likable characters, some witty writing, and some good action sequences (even if they could do a bit more to look more like "Watson fighting bad guys" and less like "people in tweed having an orgy"). Sure, you could argue about how faithful an adaptation is, but there've been so many adaptations of Sherlock Holmes that I don't see how it matters. It's not like with, say, Deadpool, where if they don't get it right then no one is going to make a movie about Deadpool for twenty years. Hell, the last Sherlock Holmes movie made in the US was about Watson being the real genius and Sherlock being just an imbecilic actor that Watson hired to play the part. At least here Watson is good for something other than standing around being not as smart as Holmes.
The thing to keep in mind is that this is a post-House Sherlock Holmes, so his genius is as much self-destructive as it is saving grace and Sherlock's relationship to Watson is a bromance that wouldn't be out of place in a Judd Apatow. Funny how the English Hugh Laurie is the one playing the American doctor, while Robert Downey Jr. is playing the British icon. Ever wonder if we're some other dimension's bizarro world? The film also takes a major cue from Batman Begins, both in emphasizing one little-seen aspect of the mythos (Batman's earthy plausibility, Holmes' badassness) and in the villain tease. Although Holmes does tease too much. Moriarty is basically a supporting character in this, yet they never have that moment where he shows his face and you say "Holy shit, it's Gary Oldman! Awesome!"
That brings me to my one real issue with the film. I don't mind that the villain's plan is stupid (it hinges on convincing his followers that he has nonsense magic powers instead of nonsense science powers), but it's given too short a shrift. There's just so many subplots in this movie that you might think you wandered into the middle of the franchise, not the beginning. To wit...
1. Watson is getting married, and Holmes is worried that his boo will abandon him.
2. Irene Adler, here upgraded from worthy adversary to the love of Holmes' life (!), is back in town.
3. Professor Moriarty, who can't be that hard to find since they know that he's a professor and his name is Moriarty, is up to no good.
4. Lord Blackwood is planning to take over the world.
Those all get about equal screentime. The movie never does a very good job of juggling all this, so when something happens like Moriarty bitching that Irene has given into her feelings for Holmes, you're like "wait, when did this happen?" I think the script was rewritten one too many times. How else do you explain a scene where Watson is blown to smithereens, in "he's dead, Jim" slo-mo, then five seconds later someone assures Holmes that he's okay, and five minutes later Watson is back on his feet and ready to kick some occult tail. Uh, thanks for that five seconds of drama, movie. I was really worried for those five seconds. Or the bit where Sherlock and Watson fight off a group of baddies in a comparatively low-key fistfight, then they pursue one of the henchman into a shipyard where they end up destroying an entire boat. How is that guy that much of a threat, he was running for his life from you not three seconds ago?
But none of that really matters, since it has Robert Downey Jr. acting bitchy and Jude Law acting exasperated, and they actually have pretty decent chemistry. Yeah, Sherlock Holmes fans, if you thought this movie was the worst thing that could happen to your precious books, get ready for the yaoi fans. Oh, you better believe Sherlock's a bishie.
So, go see it and enjoy the rare movie where the Iron Man 2 trailer isn't the best part of the experience.
Oh, also, the movie does have one too many "cut to a reaction shot from the dog so the audience laughs" moments. If you want to complain about something, Sherfen, complain about that.
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no subject
Date: 2010-01-06 09:42 pm (UTC)My exact feelings when it comes to people complaining about Burton's Alice in Wonderland adaptation. It's, like, dude, there's going to another 11654654651641321 adaptations before and after it! Even if it is abysmal, you're lucky that there are still going to be movies and tv shows and whatnot for it.
It was pretty entertaining. To be honest, I thought (hoped) there would be more to it, but I'm not entirely disappointed. I did enjoy it.
Something always bothered me about Irene's role in the movie and I didn't know why. I just realized it was because in the books she wasn't Sherlock's love interest, but someone he was just very impressed with. I don't know, I guess the reason I wasn't interested in the pairing was because I actually liked Irene as worthy adversary than love interest. But then I'm sure asking for a woman to be more than the love interest is far too radical for 2010.
Yeah, Sherlock Holmes fans, if you thought this movie was the worst thing that could happen to your precious books, get ready for the yaoi fans. Oh, you better believe Sherlock's a bishie.
*laughs* I'm wondering if the more intense fans are going to side with this twit. (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/04/copyright-holder-baulks-at-gay-sherlock-holmes-film/)
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 04:04 pm (UTC)According to some analysis, he had a thing for her. Then again according to some analysis Watson was a woman.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 04:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 04:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 05:09 pm (UTC)I'm bookmarking this.
Under the file, "humor."
At least he admits his research/evidence is still a bit "sketchy."
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 04:01 pm (UTC)Sorry, he was already playing CRAZY GARY OLDMAN in "Eli". Maybe the sequel.