Sherlock Holmes

[Deleted]

I like Hans Matheson as the Home Secretary, yummy. I thought that Victorian London was a character as well in the movie. Loved the backdrop, loved the uniforms worn by the "bobbies".

[tamaradixon]

I really wanted to love this movie and came away more confused than anything.

The positives: As stated upthread--great chemistry between the male leads. Beautiful costumes, sets, and effects (ie old London).

The not-so-positives: I don't blame Rachel McAdams. That was a poorly written role period. Guy Ritchie is not good at directing actresses--most of his films barely have any! I could see Anna Friel in that role however and kicking ass. The plot was convoluted--and this is fine for a Sherlock Holmes story, but at the end we should all be saying "A-HA!" instead of "HUH?" RDJ's accent was all over the place and often very muddied and hard to understand. Kelly Reilley was wasted in yet another female role that was underwritten. Needed a good editing--way too long.

That all said, I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[regencydrama]

I think part of the problem with Rachel McAdam's Irene is that the script assumed the viewer would be familiar with A Scandal in Bohemia.

If you've read the story, you'd know that Holmes thought Irene was a superior woman, thought fondly of her despite being duped, and continued to think about her long after the events in the story. This went a lot way in explaining her presence in his life, and also explained their weird flirtation.

But if you haven't read the story, Irene just comes off as the generic feisty female. The lack of context ends up putting her on par with every other forgettable feisty female in film - e.g. Kate Holmes's Rachel Dawes in the first Batman. It's unfortunate, as Irene is pretty damned cool in the story.

And as everyone has alread stated, the screenwriters just seemed incapable of writing a well-rounded woman. For the next film, I'm hoping they 1) realize they can't just pluck characters from the stories, stick them in the script without context and hope it works, and 2) get some damned women on the writing staff.

[Deleted]

Noomi Rapace (aka Lisbeth Salander) is apparently in talks for the sequel. I'm hoping that rumour is true. I really liked this movie (just watched it on DVD recently). Funny, good actors, nice chemistry, twisted take on the original Sherlock Holmes... and I even liked Irene Adler/McAdams. But then I have read the Holmes stories before, so maybe that made it easier to buy that whole relationship.

As others have stated the best thing about the movie was Law and RDJ together. Gold. They should work together more often.

[angelaudie]

I guess this where I should put my review of the sequel since it's pretty obvious they want this to be a franchise.

Overall, I really liked it. The film's strength is in the actors especially RDJ and JL which is much like the first one. Also, like the first film the writing is not the greatest and Guy Ritchie is not the best director to do this sort of film. But I also thought the writing and directing did improve. This movie was easier to follow and Ritchie did not rely as much on fight scenes like he did the first.

One smart move the writers made was killing off Irene Adler within the first 20 minutes of the film. It pains me to write that but Rachel McAdams just does not work for that part and she brought the last film down. Also, I was glad Holmes did not mope around or go on some sort of revenge quest to avenge his great love or something. We all know Watson is great love of his life anyway. Speaking of...

If you loved the homoerotic vibes of the first movie you are going to squeal with delight during this one! At one point I thought, "Those two are an old married couple!" The movie makes it pretty clear that Holmes is sincerely loves Watson and would do anything to insure his happiness. I see it as more brotherly love but an argument could be made it's unrequited love (Watson definitely sees Holmes as an annoying older brother).

Stephen Fry is in the movie as Holmes's brother and he was awesome of course! What's interesting to me is you would swear that Holmes has no one but Watson in life based on the way he clings to Watson. Yet, his relationship with his brother seems solid. Am I the only one who got the impression his character has OCD and is gay?

Jared Harris was excellent as Moriarty. JH and RDJ played off of each other very well. I liked that Moriarty was just as smart as Holmes and could outwit Holmes at times. I do believe Moriarty and Holmes really did admire the other's intellect and more or less saddened they weren't on the same side. Too bad Moriarty forgot one thing about Holmes. Holmes is crazy and crazy people will do some pretty extreme things (see the end).

I do wish the movie would develop the female characters more. Noomi Rapace and the actress that plays Mary were both good and deserved to have more developed characters.

[ElleCee]

I put mine in the what movie did you see thread but I'll repeat it here. I found it long, drawn out and can't recommend anyone spending money on it. I was with someone who actually fell asleep for a bit during the flick. Never a good sign.

I found the bromance just way over the top and forced in this one. It was natural and fun in the first but it seemed like Ritchie was all you want bromance? I'll give you bromance and he really pushed it on the audience this time.

Stephen Fry was great. So was Kelly Reilly, Mary. I do really love Jude Law in this role. I found RDJ as Sherlock a bit too manic in this one. Which may be what they would playing to but I didn't like it.

I can't even believe that I'm saying this but I kinda wish that we had gone to see Mission Impossible instead. *Looks around for the lightening that will come down and strike me dead*

[Deleted]

I really liked it and thought that it was better than the first. I think what put the sequel ahead was Jared Harris as Moriarty. I have never seen him in anything, but he played Moriarty as both benign and terrifying, and nailed it. I don't think that Ritchie gets enough credit as a director because the scene in the forest was unlike anything that I have seen.

How old is RDJ now? He is sex on a stick.

I like the Sherlock Holmes movies because everyone always seems to be having such a good time. Our audience clapped at the end.

[Deleted]

RDJ is 46. He must have some great genes to work with if the drug use hasn't caught up to his face yet.

I loved it. I think they added some depth to the Holmes Watson relationship, it was particularly affecting when Watson was trying to revive Holmes on the train and was yelling "You selfish bastard!" Jared Harris was amazing and I freaking love Stephen Fry. It was so funny when he introduced himself to Mary and she was like "There's TWO of you?"

[Deleted]

Saw it today, loved it. Best part as usual is the RDJ and JL chemistry.

[Augustus]

Saw it somewhere last week. I enjoyed it, not to mention was quite happy to know it was NOT 3D! Woohoo! But as I was planning to go, I couldn't really recall what happened in the first movie. And I fear the same thing will happen again with this one. Enjoyable, but somehow not that memorable.