Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Cinema Release

Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law offer a spirited interpretation of the roles of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Filled with wit, wry humour and a touch of male-bonding, it is a joy to watch. Holmes and Watson argue like a married couple and squabble when Watson decides to get married.

(When Downey Jnr made a joke about Sherlock Holmes being a butch homosexual, the estate holding the rights to Sherlock Holmes in the U.S. were so horrified they threatened to withdraw the rights to use the story. Typical conservative over-reaction).

The interplay between Holmes and Watson and the constant fast play of dialog makes this a very intelligent adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes legacy. At the same time the remoulding of Holmes into a very post-modern type of hero is impressive. While a campaigner for rationalism and a dispeller of superstition, he also indulges in sex and drugs, enjoys bare fist boxing and is well trained in martial arts. He looks a mess and lives in decadent squalor, spending his time on all manner of wild entertainment while undertaking experiments on his everything and anything, including his poor dog.

The central plot, meanwhile, involves attempts by a secret brotherhood to take over the world by what is perceived by its members to be magic after its leader Lord Blackwood apparently rises from the dead after his execution in prison. The secret brotherhood is marvellously portrayed with strange temples and shows a solid bit of research being clearly influenced by both early Freemasonry and the imagery of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The way in which Holmes decodes their “magic” and reveals its basis in science is truly marvellous.

Victorian London is impeccably recreated and the use of CGI and computer effects is striking but subtle. You really feel you are in old London and can smell the dirt and grime. The look of the film, which succeeds due to Philippe Rousselot's cinematography perfectly matching the CGI into real world elements, is matched by an astounding soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. Zimmer combines drums, Irish gigs and broken pianos with a wild array of instruments and styles to create a score which is really worth getting on a CD as well.

There was much debate about the lack of appearance by Doctor Moriarty, but I feel that the plot that revolved around Lord Blackwood is more than enough and leaves room for sequels to expand the storyline. The resolution of the case through rational means without recourse to the supernatural is also a real plus. The rumoured appearance of Brad Pitt as Moriarty will certainly bring in a new dimension to the sequel which is already in development.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No.2 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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