Sherlock Holmes

Okay, so for the record? I really, really hate that guy. I mean, in the books he's always all 'ohhh Lestrade what a dumbass I'm too good for Scotland Yard haha this case is all solved up but the only person I'm going to explain it to is Watson because he's the ooooonly one who can appreciate my awesomeness.'

The movie just proves that Robert Downey Jr., a giant screen, and good screenwriters can in fact make someone annoying totally awesome. And the best part is, they didn't give Watson a second-rate role either! I mean, yeah, he'll always be second fiddle, but they didn't try making him into a bumbling idiot or anything.

They did take the liberty of making him get kind of depressive every time a case ends, but he did live in a dark hovel (or was that *cough cough* the original Dupin?), and when you see what they have him do and how Watson deals with it, you'll forgive them.

Also the sets were totally sweet. Unfortunately, I could still tell where bits were digitally painted and all, but they were well executed, especially since the movie seems to largely have been filmed in New York.

OH. And--this is always been one of those annoying things about any sort of detective show--they actually give you the clues! So if you have a wide knowledge of poisons and chemistry and such, you can figure out what happened before he explains it all. (Okay, you can still figure out what happened, but not in such detail, or with exact terms.)

So, anyway. Totally worth a view (even a full price view!), especially if you're as pissed as I am about the lack of decent movies with hand-to-hand combat (yes, there be pugilism, and it's not only in the one scene the trailer gives!) and explosions at this time of year.

Also, if you are from Chicago, you will be awed and jealous at the five minutes of sunlight they have.