Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes

I must confess that I have been a Robert Downey, Jr. fan since I was in high school. Maybe it's just that bad boy factor, but I've always enjoyed watching him and I always rooted for him to overcome his addiction problems. He was the only reason I ever watched "Ally McBeal" and I was sad when his personal life caused him to have to leave the show.

Throw together a big budget action movie with one of my favorite actors and you have a movie I couldn't wait to see. I was more than a little surprised to find out that Guy Ritchie directed this movie. He's known for British, independent oddball movies like "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels". This is quite a step up for him and he definitely rose to the challenge.

Robert Downey, Jr. is the titular Holmes while Jude Law is his long-suffering Watson. The chemistry between the two is great. They play off each other in a relaxed, well-versed way that would be natural of two men who've spent years living and working together to solve the world's toughest crimes.

Watson is leaving, having just wrapped up his last case with Holmes, to get married and settle down. But as we all know, there can never really be a last case. He gets pulled back in when Mark Strong as Lord Blackwell apparently comes back from the dead with evil intentions.

I love the action, the look, the gadgets, the way we hear Holmes' brain work. I love the banter between Holmes and Watson. It's a highly entertaining movie. Of course, they left it open for the possibility of a sequel. And while sequels are rarely as good as the original, I will be one of the first in line if they have a "Sherlock Holmes 2". (*****)