Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Sherlock Holmes (2009)


One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-ra.
-from Rocky Road to Dublin song
played at end credits


Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Director: Guy Ritchie

Screenplay:
Michael Robert Johnson
Anthony Peckham
Simon Kinberg

Screen story:
Lionel Wigram
Michael Robert Johnson

Based on characters created by author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Rating: 4

Starring:
Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes
Jude Law as Dr John Watson

Tagline: Nothing Escapes Him

Description from imdb:
Detective Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England.

After finally catching serial killer and occult "sorcerer" Lord Blackwood, legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson can close yet another successful case. But when Blackwood mysteriously returns from the grave and resumes his killing spree, Holmes must take up the hunt once again.

Contending with his partner's new fiancée and the dimwitted head of Scotland Yard, the dauntless detective must unravel the clues that will lead him into a twisted web of murder, deceit, and black magic - and the deadly embrace of temptress Irene Adler.

My two bits:
In-a-word(s): lots o'action

This latest movie portrays beefed up versions of Holmes and Watson. It's filled with action, mystery, romance (for both) and steam! Yes, hints of steampunk in this gritty Victorian London setting are sure to please.

I especially loved the anatomy of a fight sequence that Holmes describes for us before the scene itself flashes by within seconds. Super cool cinematography going on here.

I was a bit leery of where the mystery was leading us, but in Holmes fashion things fall into place at the end.

The soundtrack rocks! The music is composed by Hans Zimmer and performed by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe. The CD is due to be released January 12, 2010.

Here's a snippet of a song titled: He's Killed The Dog Again





Loved their dog, Gladstone.

wikipedia says:
The bulldog that appears throughout the movie is first referenced in A Study in Scarlet, in which Watson says "I keep a bull pup." Although the dog is never mentioned again in the original stories, its treatment in the film recalls the speculations of commentators (as summarized by Baring-Gould) that "the pup was a victim of one of Holmes's chemical experiments...[or] the dog, unable to stand the Baker Street menage, deserted."

The bad guys:


Mark Strong plays Lord Henry Blackwood, the main baddie with dastardly plans for ruling the British empire and eventually the world (I imagine) using some interesting trickery.






Sherlock Holmes (book) nemesis makes an appearance (in shadow and dark places):

Professor Moriarty - remains a mystery to the end.

Even wikipedia says that Director Guy Ritchie declined to say who voiced the character of Professor Moriarty.


*source image English Bull Dog

*part of my Marple Poirot Holmes challenge


 
Imagination Designs
Images from: Lovelytocu