Last movie of 2009 - Sherlock Holmes

Caught Sherlock Holmes Tuesday night before it opens locally on Thursday the 24th, thanks to Nuffnang. Due to circumstances out of my control (again), had missed out on the first 10-15 minutes of the movie (I think) - saw the second half of the opening scene where Holmes thwarted Lord Blackwood the first time.

The plot is not Conan Doyle canon, so the expectations are not too high. But it's about Holmes stopping a plot to overthrow the government comandeered by Lord Blackwood.

According to what I've read around the Internets, the depiction of Holmes and Watson is supposed to be closer to the source material (Conan Doyle's stories) than previously depicted everywhere else. I don't remember reading anywhere that they're closer in age... I also don't recall a very good physical description of Watson back in the day. Or they just want an excuse to get Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. together.

I thought 221B Baker Street would be No. 221 Baker Street, Room B and not the whole homestead being 221B - it's like when Chinese people renumber house number 13 as 11A. I'm just being picky. [Speaking of the famous address, it's on my list of places to hit for if I ever get round to going to London.]

The choice of soundtrack in certain scenes was "interesting" but kinda detract from the mood of the scene, I think. Raised the brow more than once when the rest of the room was laughing at some of the stupidest things in the movie, particularly the double entendres (which I'm surprised anyone can pick them out as such). Damn cheap laugh ploy. Have to say having the bulldog around was such a ploy.

I have my issues with Robert Downey Jr playing Holmes, I admit. Watching him as Holmes on the big screen is like me watching Simon Baker on The Mentalist - I'll always know he's not the nationality that the want us to believe they're potraying. As for Jude Law - meh, the guy doesn't do anything for me personally as the self-confessed Anglophile. His Watson moustache was distracting, and not in a good way. And I was constantly reminded of his potrayal of Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin (which I've not seen it myself, but won't stop me from telling you to go watch it).

I have no idea why the Irene Adler character had such a major role in this movie other than they don't want to make it so gay just having the Holmes and Watson bromance on screen? I'm just guessing. (Don't get me started on the gay theory - Watson was married for a while until the wife died and moved back to Baker Street after.)

I had to give Guy Ritchie props for setting up the makings of a franchise, bringing in Professor Moriarty even before box office success can be determined. Have I mentioned that this is the first full-length Guy Ritchie film I've ever seen?

To conclude: As someone who likes Sherlock Holmes canon, it's entertaining enough - if you can't get tickets to see Avatar, this would be good.

PS. No movie stinger (after credit scenes). Learnt that the hard way - two of us and another guy sat through the credits, so long that we had to be told to leave by staffers cleaning out the place.