I never, ever thought I would like this movie, and I not only did I like it, I really enjoyed it. I went in not expecting that, but to see the quite often stuffy Holmes played obviously-on-something with a Watson who tries to stay away, but like a kitten can't keep the curiousity at bay, this modern re-take was like a breathe of fresh air. I've read the stories. I've imagined other takes on them. I do believe Holmes is quite mad! But besides all that, here are my top three reasons why I liked this movie:
1. The camaraderie and comedic timing between Robert Downey Jr., and Jude Law. Their fast paced witty repartee left the film clipping along nicely. Intermixed with just enough action sequences to keep it interesting while not distracting from the plot, one was left with the feeling that it was all meant to be that way, that their life was really that boring yet exciting. If only we could all have lives like that.
2. The costumes. As a former (okay, still am for the right price) costume designer, I have a very critical eye for costumes, detail, and authenticity towards the time period. My biggest fear going into this was the possibility that it wouldn't be justtttttt right in some way. A film is completely ruined for me if the details, the grittiness, the textures amidst all the layers aren't there for me. Something as simple as the wrong accessory will throw me off and out of the story. Sherlock Holmes did not do that for me. Silently throughout the film, I mentally kept a running commentary on every new look, "Oh, I've done that. Look at that waistcoat. Is that a Gibson collar? Those ruffles are such a pain to make. Good job." With the noticable exception of the fabric choices made on the majority of Rachel McAdams dresses, I was in costumer heaven. Flat satin in Victorian England? Really? BORing.
3. Denouement with possibility for a sequel. Usually I hate films that end with "we know this is going to be a money maker, let's end it with something so blatantly obvious we can make a sequel out of it." While introducing the deviltry behind the character of Moriarty at the end of the film could come across this way, if you know the story of Sherlock Holmes at all, you wondered where he was at the beginning, realized he wasn't playing in this film about half way through, yet didn't realize till the end that this criminal mastermind was there all along. The silent character. The man behind the curtain. He orchestrated McAdams' Irene Adler into a life of fear, left Holmes and Watson clueless, and yet we never saw his face.
Brilliant.
I want to see his face.
