This is my second viewing of the film. I could barely remember it...which doesn't speak well of the film itself.
Guy Ritchie is clearly the wrong director for the material. You could take out all the fighting and not lose a thing in terms of plot. Also, the entire sequence with the tall, face-scarred enforcer which ends with a monstrous anchor destroying most of a dock is gratuitous. Much like most of the movie, this scene adds little and instead becomes a distraction.
Robert Downey Jr is good. He's simply watchable. He breathes life into his scenes and makes you believe in his deductive powers. It's a shame they couldn't come up with a script to match his talents.
The plot is a bore. Lord Blackwood uses parlor tricks to convince a nation that he's been ressurected from the dead. Why? He wants to take over England and regain control of America. He thinks fear will keep everyone in check.
Do we even care? He film seems to forget about Blackwood for long stretches. For a mystery to work, the villain's plan must be front and center. This way, we can play along with Holmes, trying to match wits with this great detective. Without a strong villain driving the plot, the film wanders becoming boring for its first hour.
Hopefully, they'll get the sequel right but with Ritchie still at the helm, I highly doubt it.
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