Sherlock Holmes

The air-con was cold, the seats were warm.
The plot was also cold but the actors? Smoking hot.

Before I begin this review, I have three things to get off my chest.
One: I am incredibly biased when it comes to Robert Downey Jr. in the way a girl can be biased towards an incredibly gorgeous man with charm and roguishness oozing from his every orifice.
Two: I also enjoy Jude Law and his pretty blue eyes, and not to mention that delicious Brit accent.
Three: When there are two beautiful men on-screen kicking a$$, making jokes and executing moves cooler than the North Pole, the Reviewer in me dies a whimpering death, and the Fangirl comes roaring to life.
But that, of course, should not crush my credibility in any way. Ahem.
Because beneath all that Fangirl-ism, there is still the Movie-Goer, and she says that this is a movie that is flawed in plot, but flawless in casting: It has a plot that seems a little limp at times, but a cast of actors brilliant enough to make Sherlock Holmes a must-see movie.
The story begins with a supernatural, witch-crafty ritual of human sacrifice, performed with eerie chants by the villain, Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). He has already killed five other innocent girls but aha! Enter Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his faithful friend, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), who foil Blackwood's dastardly plans.
Lord Blackwood is then arrested and sentenced to death - but at the eve of his execution, he makes a last request: He wants to talk to Holmes. In the gloom of the prison cell, he proclaims that death is not the end, and the world as they all know will end. He also promises that there will be three more deaths, and there is nothing Holmes can do to stop it. Holmes is suitably shaken, especially when Lord Blackwood rises from the dead and the deaths actually occur. A case that was supposedly closed has now been re-opened, as is expected when the villain has been resurrected.
What follows is Holmes racing to solve the mystery behind the seemingly otherworldly powers at hand - but what do we have here? Trouble is a-foot with his loyal partner-in-justice, Watson, who is engaged and has declared the Blackwood case the last they will ever do together. Unwilling to believe that Watson will no longer be at his side, solving cases and getting into scrapes, Holmes tries to sabotage Watson's relationship and, at the same time, convince him to stay by tempting him with a life of espionage.
This, in my humble opinion, is where the genius of Downey truly comes to life.
With every little hint left by Law's Watson (Law's most dashing performance in years, IMO) of his impending marriage, Downey's Holmes lips tighten, his eyes take on a stubborn disbelief and maybe even a tinge of worry - in the most fleeting of moments, his body tells you he wants to be happy for his friend, but can't help but be selfish.
From his rumbling Brit-speak to his portrayal of Holmes (in stark contrast to the legendary Holmes of Arthur Conan Doyle's books, this modern Holmes is roguish, sometimes slovenly, prone to fits of jealousy and pique but still amazingly intelligent), Downey can do no wrong.
Which is saying something, because this is an actor with one heckuva' past filled with rehab, drugs and criminal possession of drugs. Proof that there is a career after rehab, (take notes, Lindsay!), Downey now has three huge blockbuster hits in just two years (Ironman, Tropic Thunder and now, Sherlock Holmes). Not bad for an actor once considered uninsurable.
But I digress.
The reason I have problems with the plot (as mentioned earlier) is that it lacked the intricacy, detail and strength of a good mystery. It was written as original script, not as an adaptation from the books, and director Guy Ritchie should have known better. It ended up as a basic bang-up story of thrills and chills, and very little else. It's pacing is good, but the story is just that wee bit hollow.
Special mention goes to Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, who provided the soundtrack to the movie, representing the old-fashioned 1800's in heavy twanging guitars and banjos. Nothing less is expected of the man who scored for Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight and Lion King (among tonnes others), of course.
In conclusion, weak plot aside, Sherlock Holmes is a huge Fun Burger served with extra topping of Charm. It delightfully dishes a dessert of Indulgent Fight Scenes, and tops it all off with a spoonful of Wit and Humour.
It is a Buffet of Entertainment and hey, when the inevitable sequel comes, I will be waiting in line; plate in one hand, napkin in the other - to wipe the drool, of course.