It's Elementary!

What do you get when you take a 19th century Master Sleuth, add a little Robert Downey, Jr. and some Guy Ritchie, then mix them with fantastic production design which recreates the essence of old, dirty London circa 1890? Why the latest Sherlock Holmes film of course! Though the film is a bit of a departure from the most well-known cinematic reincarnation of Sherlock - the Universal series starring Basil Rathbone - it contains a lot of the elements that made Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character so beloved, plus incorporates Guy Ritchie action sequences which make for a very entertaining ride. Ritchie continues to utilize that slowed down camera movement with voiceover, immediately followed by real time action. It works really well in showing how Holmes perceives situations and his step-by-step process in executing his action. Robert Downey, Jr. plays Holmes while Jude Law portrays the sidekick Watson, John Watson. Their chemistry is fantastic - and while I still love the House-Wilson buddy relationship - I'm digging the Downey-Law rhetoric. Rachel McAdams shows up as Holmes' ex-lover who matches his wit and cleverness, but of course, leads him to the central case of the story. While I am a huge Rachel fan - I gotta say, I could've done without her - or really any love interest - in this film. But at the same time, she didn't hurt the movie. It was a lot of fun! And the title sequences! Fantastic! Great design throughout the film, and I love that the end credits were not just slapped on last minute. On the contrary, a lot of work went into those credits and they fit the feel of the film perfectly. And, not surprisingly, the film sets up a sequel extrememly well, and hints at possible characters with whom Holmes may find himself entangled. I am, in a word, intrigued.