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As the cheeky title character in “Sherlock Holmes,” iron man Robert Downey Jr. beefs up his already-substantial likability, playing the detective as a delightfully mischievous mad genius, while spinning campy dialogue into gold with his pitch-perfect delivery. Sporting a thick, tousled coif and an even thicker English accent, the 44-year-old Golden Globe nominee is the No. 1 reason to fork over the ticket price — which many did as the film opened at No. 2 at the box office last weekend — for this fun and funny action-comedy, a stylized rebirth of the super-sleuth created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Reason No. 2 is the technique of director Guy Ritchie, who brings both polish and his signature Brit grit to his first major Hollywood movie. Not since “Snatch” has a Ritchie film been this enjoyable, and he’s probably looking at a very fruitful franchise. His “Holmes” is dark and rough, with plenty of raucous mayhem and reckless abandon, as well as light and humorous, with more than a few laughs hinged on a rather unambiguous bromance between the legendary detective and his faithful sidekick, Dr. Watson (Jude Law).
Ritchie guides his actors through his murky vision of 1890s London, its exteriors cloud-covered and highly industrial, and its interiors strewn with a carefully detailed hodgepodge of trinkets and gadgets. The color scheme is decidedly monochromatic, thrown off only by the flamboyant garb of Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), a cunning American seductress from Holmes’ past. Fights, chases and suspenseful tight spots are energized by the strums and thumps of Hans Zimmer’s distinctive score, and streamlined by James Herbert’s slick, nimble editing.
In formal terms, “Sherlock Holmes” is exquisitely put together. I didn’t much care about the outcome of the story, which concerns a Dan Brown-esque conspiracy and a death-defying dark lord (Mark Strong). It’s the game that makes this movie rollicking entertainment. That, and of course, Downey Jr., whose career comeback keeps getting better.
Sherlock Holmes
PG-13
Three reels out of four
In area theaters now
Glee: Season 1, Volume 1
–Road to Sectionals
Not Rated
Available now
Forget “High School Musical.” Co-created by Ryan Murphy (“Nip/Tuck”) and co-starring funny gal Jane Lynch (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”), the hit Fox series “Glee” is the ultimate venue for tuneful teens, especially since these teens are portrayed by such extraordinary vocalists as Broadway starlet Lea Michele and newcomer Amber Riley. Sure, the plot details are preposterous, but the musical numbers are sensational, often surpassing the classic and contemporary pop songs on which they’re based. Like Journey? The Rolling Stones? Rihanna? Wait’ll you hear the “Glee” kids.
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