Guy Ritchie's re-imagines Sherlock Holmes as an action property, complete with bloody fights and huge explosions

“Elementary, my dear Watson.”

If you just became indignant about the fact that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never wrote that famous line, you will likely not enjoy Guy Ritchie‘s Sherlock Holmes, because you will never get past the overhaul of the famous detective (Robert Downey Jr.) as an action star who jumps out of windows, wins fight club matches, defies death to rescue damsels in distress, and is even willing to practice a little dark magic if the case requires it. For that matter, Dr. Watson (Jude Law) is willing to do pretty much all of the above as well.

The first ten minutes of the film will determine whether you can survive the next two hours, as Holmes and Watson swoop in to stop a satanic cult leader from sacrificing a beautiful woman writhing on an altar. The shocked and barely competent London police take Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) into custody, and it looks like Holmes has another notch in his crime-solving belt. But when Blackwood returns from the grave, either Watson’s medical skills are in question – the good doctor confirmed Blackwood’s death – or the game is afoot. Holmes convinces Watson to put mayhem over matrimony and join in the pursuit.

Credit must be given to Ritchie and his direction for making Sherlock Holmes so enjoyable for such a drastic re-imagining. True to Ritchie’s style, there are lots of elements that will appeal to the immature side of men: bloody fights, big explosions, and dead bodies that keep piling up. But Ritchie also imbues bleak, Victorian London with a charming appeal in the company of his eccentric Holmes. Shots of the iconic Tower Bridge under construction and an underground sewer chase are well utilized, and a boat in dry dock makes for a particularly menacing setting for a gunfight. It’s doubtful every detail is true to the period, but Ritchie concocts a London perfect for dark doings and sleuthing.

To read the rest of Tim’s review, hop on over to Metro Weekly, where his article is currently running.