This was a mindless, fun summer blockbuster version of a Sherlock Holmes tale and while I was entertained, something about it rubbed me the wrong way.  I still haven’t put my finger on it.  I enjoyed Robert Downey Jr.’s performance but then again, I can’t recall ever being disappointed with a RDJ performance since Johnny Be Good.  The banter between Jude Law (Watson) and RDJ was the best part of the movie. I think I just didn’t like the interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. If they wanted to update Holmes, how come Watson remained close to the stuffy original version. I was neither here nor there about Rachel McAdams.  I’m just glad she was an American in the movie.  One American-doing-a-British accent was enough.

Except for the slow-motion breakdown of Sherlock using his deductive skills in fights (which were great), Guy Ritchie didn’t use any of his usual tricks and if I didn’t know in advance he directed it, I would have been surprised to find out.  I think that is also part of my disappointment.  I wanted a Guy Ritchie version of Sherlock Holmes not a Sherlock Holmes blockbuster directed by Ritchie.  Given that this movie was set in the 1890s, I was surprised how NOT gritty it was.

One more thing, I pray to God the rumors of Brad Pitt as Moriarty in the sequel are NOT true. Please let him be played by a British actor.  Maybe Jared Harris or Jason Isaacs instead.