"Excellent!” I cried. "Elementary," said he. A film about the Great Detective was imminent and it became a reality. When I heard that a Sherlock Holmes film was in the works, I was really excited to see it and how it would play out. I’ve been waiting to see this film for a year, and I finally saw the film the day after Christmas.

When I first heard about Sherlock Holmes being made into a film, the first thing that came across my mind was “Who will be playing as Sherlock Holmes and Watson?” Then when I saw that Robert Downey Jr. and Judd Law were casted as the two main characters, I was curious as to how they’ll make the characters justice in the film, and I believe that they did a very good job portraying Holmes and Watson in the film, especially Robert Downey Jr. He brought the character to live than anyone who has played as Sherlock Holmes in past films. Mark Strong also did an excellent job portraying his role as Blackwood, perfectly, as well as Rachel McAdams with her role as Adler.

Anywho, enough with how well the actors portrayed the characters, let us move on with the film itself.

The film takes place around the mid to late-1800s, with a saturated tone, serious atmosphere. There were a few parts of the film that had comedy, which they fit perfectly in the specific situations that they were implied. The film score (composed by Hans Zimmer) was amazing and gave the film more of the 1800s atmosphere and somewhat of a British Pub atmosphere too.

Professor Moriarty did make a few appearances in the film, but you couldn’t see the face and who portrayed the archenemy of Holmes. He also out smarted Holmes by having Adler (who was working under Moriarty) take the two canisters of cyanide from one of Blackwood’s machines (which was being used against the Parliament) and run through the sewers and other places to have Holmes chase her. While Holmes pursued Adler, Moriarty then took the most important part from Blackwood’s machine, which would play an important role down the road. Anyways, I digress.

The film is about Holmes, Watson and Inspector Lestrade going after Blackwood, which they found and arrested him in the basement of a church while doing some sort of pagan ritual (by the way, the film had a lot of pagan symbols and other things). Blackwood was then sentenced to death by hang. Adler makes an appearance in Holmes’ quarters and asks him to find a particular person that her client is looking for. Holmes wanted to know whom she was working for, but Irene insisted on not naming her client to him. As Adler leaves to her buggy, Holmes spies on her and disguises himself along the way. He gets in the way of the buggy where Adler and her client (which is Moriarty) and talks to Moriarty like he was working with Moriarty. As Holmes returns, he talks with Watson about what Adler discussed. An officer then comes to Holmes’ quarters and told him that Blackwood is back from the dead. Thus, the case is open.

They head to the cemetery and located Blackwood’s coffin where it seems to be some rubble that were scattered outwards instead of inward. Anywho, they open the coffin and find the person that Moriarty was looking for covered in dirt. Holmes and Watson leave the cemetery and head to a place where the dead guy was doing experiments. The two then get into a skirmish with Blackwood’s minions. Holmes and Watson were then sent to jail, which Watson was bailed out by his fiancée and Holmes was later bailed out by the Inspector, which Holmes was then had his head covered and was taken to an undisclosed location.

Holmes was confronted by Blackwood’s father, and tells Holmes that Blackwood must be stopped at all cost. Later that night, Blackwood kills his father. Holmes and a couple officers inspect Blackwood’s father’s house and the scene of the crime. While Holmes tells the officers to fetch something, he finds a hidden room, which was filled with pagan tools, symbols, etc. he grabbed a few tools and a book from the room and left..

Later, Holmes and Watson head to the docks to find Blackwood, only to find Adler tied onto a hook and saved her before being sawed in half. However, just they’re escaping the docks, the whole building they were in explodes, injuring Watson. An officer finds Holmes and tells him that there’s a warrant for his arrest, and Holmes leaves. Once Watson was healed by the doctor (which was Holmes in disguise), he and Adler head to where Holmes was hiding. But during that time, Holmes grabbed the book of spells and ritual tools, which he took from Blackwood’s father’s home, and did a ritual to get in contact with Blackwood and to see what he plans on doing. Once Watson and Adler arrive, Holmes explains to them the situation of what he learned after doing the ritual, and that Blackwood was killing people that symbolized animals in a cross or “X” pattern, and found out that Blackwood’s next target was the Parliament. Suddenly they hear the commotion of the police downstairs; Holmes let Adler and Watson escape and to leave him behind to be taken by Inspector Lestrade.

 Sherlock was taken to one of Blackwood’s father’s apprentices, Lord Coward, who was in fact helping Blackwood. He and Holmes were discussing some matters while Holmes closed the vent in the fireplace while Coward had his back against Holmes. As soon as Coward turns around with a pistol, part of the room was covered in smoke, giving Holmes time to take off the handcuffs with keys given to him by Lestrade. Holmes escapes from the Parliament Building and into the river, and heading to the sewers beneath the Parliament along with Watson and Adler.

The trio fight off Blackwood’s minions that were surrounding the machine that contained cyanide to kill the entire Parliament. Blackwood pushes the button behind him to activate the machine, but releasing the cyanide through the vents because of Adler taking out the canisters containing the poison. Adler runs from Holmes and Watson behind; although, Holmes pursued Adler, while leaving Watson to fight off another minion. Blackwood then follows Holmes and Adler, which the chase ends at the top of Tower Bridge (which was under construction in the film).

Holmes convinces to have Adler hand over the canisters, but Blackwood intervenes. Blackwood pushes Adler off the ledge with his cane and she falls onto a platform not far down and becomes unconscious. Holmes and Blackwood then duel it out on top of Tower Bridge. Holmes see rope around Blackwood’s feet that was tied to a heavy object, and then pushes the object off the ledge. The rope catches Blackwood’s feet and is dragged to the ledge, but Blackwood holds on. However, an iron beam atop of them falls and catches onto chains and loosens Blackwood’s grip. The chain latch onto Blackwood’s neck and is hanged in mid-air on Tower Bridge.

After all of that thrill, we see Watson and Holmes back at their quarters, with Watson moving out to live with his fiancée. An officer comes to Holmes and talks to him about someone took part of Blackwood’s device, which was Moriarty. Watson and Holmes talk about what was the thing that Moriarty was after. Yet, another case was soon opened and the film ends there.

I really enjoyed this film, and it passed my expectations. Although, there were some parts where I didn’t understand some things, but I guess it’s been a long time since I read the books. But nevertheless, I recommend this film to anyone, and soon to be a classic down the road.

4.5 out of 5 stars

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