Sherlock Holmes
Earthy, imbibing, pugilistic - anna p
Sherlock Holmes is gritty, grimey and grungy in a gratifying, utterly histrorical English way. Guy Richie blends tis earthy, imbibing, pugilistic and gifted character in a world of industrial change and political corruption, Holmes and Watson are so realistic-they sweat, they bleed, they place bets and they argue although they are both united by loyal friendship to one another.
Lord Blackwood, an evil sorcerer has been caught by the two, tried by the Empire and sentenced to hang for subjecting five damsels to human sacrifice and attempting his dark occultic practices on a sixth. Upon his execution Dr Watson declares him truly dead and they bury him. Case closed or so it seems. Lord Blackwood is visually documented as resurrecting from his grave by a witness and the case to find and charge him is on again. Meanwhile a rival hires a beautiful American woman who was one of Holmes' old flames, to knock him off the detective rails through seduction... The heroes unravel an intriguing story where the black arts are practised by leading politicians knitted in a secret society, who conspire to take over the world with the help of the deceptive, cold and calculating Lord Blackwood. Holmes and Watson move through a landscape sullied by the use of coal as fuel and through a textural society of gamblers, underground boxing, fortune telling,street violence, markets, swindlers, villanous French immigrants, corrupt aristocrats and an obscure alchemic midget.
Here the two leading charcters reveal the potentially ominous power of black magic as an ultimately well planned sham.
Like all films that deal with death, there's an unglamorous depiction of unlucky cases. There's also alot of edge of the seat rough housing where both Downey Jnr and Law hold their parts together believably well. Downey mumbles like a man who drinks and fights often and Law grimaces like a natural, which he is. The professionalism of the film is exceptional.Richie's film is excellent and like all his good pictures that tell a story about the British underbelly, shows the human foibles and weaknesses with cinematic clarity and male gusto.
Review published on the 11 January 2010 00:59
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15 February 2010 00:48
Good Approach - Ara
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Slow to start but got there in the end.... - Linz
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Stay Until End - David
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Sherlock Homes - lucylolliipop
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Sherlock Holmes - JAMIE
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QUESTION - DaNii GrL
could anyone answer my question!!!!!!!!! IM A 12 YEAR OLD IRL ND WANT TO NO IF SHERLOCK HOMES IS A GOOD MOVIE I MIGHT B GOIN TO SEE IT 2MORO IS TIS A GOOD MOVIE FOR ALL AGES OR A CRAP ONE FOR 20 OR... MORE
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I got what I came for. - Cyberx_94
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Definite must see! - Flippy Floppies
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Pleasant - andrewire
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Sherlock Holmes - Anna
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26 October 2009 10:45
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