The Film: It's the year 1891 in Victorian London and Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.), with the help of his friend and partner Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), puts his expert detective skills to use in a case involving the villainous Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong ). Lord Blackwood has a fondness for the occult and after stopping Blackwood from sacrificing a young woman to further his black magic he is sentenced to be hung. Before he is executed, though, Blackwood tells Holmes that he will rise from the dead and that three more deaths will occur which will forever change the world.
Three days after Blackwood is killed, Holmes is seen with his old love interest Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), who asks for his help solving the case of a missing man. Holmes and Watson are taken to the cemetery, though, because Blackwood's tomb has been opened - from the inside out. The coffin is opened, revealing that Blackwood is not inside. Now, Holmes and Watson must find Blackwood and stop him from carrying out his wicked plans.
The Production: Robert Downey Jr. was brilliant in portraying the role of Sherlock Holmes as eccentric and somewhat over-the-top, and Jude Law made a perfect Dr. John Watson with excellent comedic timing, as far as this Sherlock Holmes/Jeremy Brett fan is concerned. Holmes is given new life in this remake by alluding to elements of the character that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle hinted at in his books. Downey and Law are wonderful to watch together, the detective team and banter that they create making for an amusing pair that helps make this film highly entertaining.
Director Guy Ritchie has done an amazing job recreating Victorian London with gorgeous imagery and special effects. And Hans Zimmer's musical score, nominated for an Oscar, is gorgeous! I would definitely recommend picking up a copy of the soundtrack.
Sherlock Holmes is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (1.85:1). Special features are in high definition and include Maximum Movie Mode, where you can follow along as director Guy Ritchie guides you through the film with visual commentary, storyboards and much more!
Blu-ray Special Features: Warner Bros. makes magnificent use of Maximum Movie Mode, which is a chance to watch the film guided by director Guy Ritchie, who takes us on an insightful tour of the production and his inspirations for the movie. Cast and crew interviews are also included, and you can pause the movie at point to watch Focus Points or check out the gallery of production stills.
The Focus Points section includes eight featurettes that of course can also be seen in Maximum Movie Mode. "Drawbridges and Doilies" is a 5 minute feature that takes a look at how Victorian London was re-created for the movie. "Not a Deerstalker Cap in Sight" is a 4 minute clip on creating the costumes for the film. The 4 minute "Ba-Rits" focuses on the martial art and stunts. The 3 minute "The One that Got Away" features an inside look at the women in the movie.
The 4 minute "Powers of Deduction" describes Sherlock Holmes' supernatural abilities as a detective. "Sherlockians" is a 3 minute clip about the fans of Holmes. The 3 minute "Future Past" is about the CGI used to transform London to 1891.
The "Behind the Story" section is a 14 minute featurette of Sherlock Holmes: Revisited, which talks about reinventing the classic and beloved character of Sherlock Holmes.
Blu-ray Combo Pack: The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes the Blu-ray version of the film, as well as a second disc with both a DVD and a Digital Copy. The Blu-ray disc is also BD-Live enhanced. The Blu-ray audio presentation is superb and will make excellent use of your surround system, as well as bringing Hans Zimmer's music to your ears. The Blu-ray video is razor sharp and helps bring out the CGI special effects, especially at the end of the film.
Definitely pick up a copy of the Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Combo Pack DVD. It would be a crime not to! ;)
GRADE: A
Sherlock Holmes is released by Warner Bros. and on DVD by Warner Home Video in the US & Canada on March 30, 2010 and in the UK on May 17, 2010. Sherlock Holmes is directed by Guy Ritchie and stars Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong. Sherlock Holmes is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material. The running time is 2 hours 14 minutes.
You can order the Sherlock Holmes DVDs using the Amazon shopping links below:
Amazon.com:
Amazon.co.uk:
Amazon Canada:
Thank you to Warner Bros. for providing the review copy!
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
