Ritchie’s influence is obvious, with Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels-style “how did they do that” flashbacks and slow motion fight scenes as Holmes’s vast intellect figures out how to tackle his adversaries.
And there are plenty of clues hidden in the scenes for Sherlock Holmes fans to sniff out, including a glass covered diorama of bee hives – a nod to the detective’s choice of pastime in retirement.
The movie’s strength is its characters – Downey Jr oozes charisma while Law holds his own as a young, dashing Watson.
The women aren’t bad either – even Mary seems quite keen on adventure.
It may not cerebral qualities of Conan Doyle’s stories but it’s a great romp, pounding along at pace to Hans Zimmer’s evocative soundtrack.
LAURA DAVIS
