What do you think of the new Sherlock Holmes?

[Broccoli]

Nope. Don't like it. Don't like it at all.

Just curious ... why not? I've read the script, and I found it very faithful to Doyle's concept. Is it the action and fighting? Doyle makes, for example, references to Holmes' boxing prowess, so he MUST practice. I don't recall the story, but Holmes at least once introduces himself to a bare-knuckle boxer as "the amateur who went three rounds with you." He uses Japanese baritsu against Moriarity. Holmes is also an expert with the sword and pistol. That doesn't just happen. The script is perfectly in keeping with that. In fact, the filmmakers went to great lengths to study the martial arts and boxing techniques of the day and place.

Also, it is Holmes' intellect and deductive power that wins the day. The action is there, but it's not the key to the story.

Does the humanizing bother you? Granted, that's not in the stories. But the causes behind Holmes' pain in the script -- Watson's pending marriage and his own drug use -- are right out of the stories.

There is a sort of "pulp" feeling to it, but remember where the Holmes stories started. The real "non-canon" issue comes with a potential relationship with Irene Adler. She is terrific in the script, but her scenes would never have occurred in Doyle. I kinda think he might have approved, though, although that's just me and I really can't defend that.

Of course, I'm guessing at what might have rubbed you the wrong way, and I readily concede that this isn't the Holmes of Jeremy Britt or Basil Rathbone. But the character has shown an amazing ability to adapt over the years (I still love Michael Caine's Without A Clue) and this works for me. Well, the script does. I'm looking forward to the film.

Would you mind if I ask what bothered you?

Without A Clue is hilarious.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Looks like a fun popcorn movie but it doesn't feel like SH to me. Nor does RDJ strike me as being like the Conan Doyle character. If they wanted a younger, sexier actor in the role, I would have said Hugh Jackman was the obvious choice. But I'd rather have seen Alan Rickman, Jeremy Irons or Gabriel Byrne in the part.

 

[Kegg]

Agreed on the action, although what really bothers me isn't that so much as this woman in lingerie I see in the trailer (Irene Adler, I presume?) beating up Holmes and leaving him tied naked to a bed. "Beneath this pillow lies the key to my release."

You can argue all you want for Sherlock Holmes being some sort of Victorian action star...but you'll never convince me something like that is "true to the spirit of the original stories".

It is pretty funny, though.

 

[God Magnus]

I was skeptical when I first heard about the casting, however after seeing the trailer and reading a bit about the film here and there I'm looking forward to it. I've only read a handful of Holmes stories, but I've seen a lot of Holmes shows/movies (I even watched Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd century) so I'm very used to separating portrayals of the character from one "universe" to the other.

The new Holmes trailer portrays most of the action, but almost none of the detective skills that we want to see, but that's hardly surprising. They picked scenes that would grab the most amount of attention, but I trust the film will ultimately be a mystery that needs solving. While Brett is my favorite Holmes to date, I am interested in RDJ's take on the character.

 

[S. Gomez]

Agreed on the action, although what really bothers me isn't that so much as this woman in lingerie I see in the trailer (Irene Adler, I presume?) beating up Holmes and leaving him tied naked to a bed. "Beneath this pillow lies the key to my release."

You can argue all you want for Sherlock Holmes being some sort of Victorian action star...but you'll never convince me something like that is "true to the spirit of the original stories".

It is pretty funny, though.

Not for me, but I can certainly understand how others would find it so.

 

[Count Zero]

I'm a bit skeptical about the many action scenes in the trailer. Otherwise, it does look and sound intriguing. There's a possibility they've put all the action scenes in the trailer, so they might spread out nicely over the whole length of the film.

 

[AnyStar]

... There's a possibility they've put all the action scenes in the trailer...

good point, happens more often than not

 

[Piper]

I'll probably wait until I've seen it before I pass judgment.

 

[Prydonian]

Looks like a fun popcorn movie but it doesn't feel like SH to me. Nor does RDJ strike me as being like the Conan Doyle character. If they wanted a younger, sexier actor in the role, I would have said Hugh Jackman was the obvious choice. But I'd rather have seen Alan Rickman, Jeremy Irons or Gabriel Byrne in the part.

RDJ is 44 (according to Wikipedia), so he's hardly too young for the role.

 

[diankra]

Holmes being capable of action, fine by me, that's in the stories. Holmes as action hero, no, please no.
Holmes taking drugs while bored betwen cases, spot on. But while he's on a case, the case is the only drug he needs.
Holmes as young? Well, he and Watson seem to be a bit short of 30 when they meet, if I remember the various annotated Holmes books (and didn't he retire in his mid 40s?). Young Holmes is fine, so long as he's an oddly focused young man who hasn't had a real friend until Watson takes the trouble to try and understand him.
Etc etc.. there are a lot of things that could work in a new interpretation, and I'll have to see the film to see if it works. It sounds like it could be good, but Guy Ritchie's back catalogue doesn't fill me with hope. Nor does the inclusion of Irene Idler, who is ALWAYS dragged in by poor Holmes movies which miss the point - she is not the love interest, she's just the closest thing to a love interest there ever was, and the proof that Holmes will definitely never be a conventional romantic hero (but can still be more popular than the tick-box creations of the studio suits).

 

[Gaith]

Nor does the inclusion of Irene Idler, who is ALWAYS dragged in by poor Holmes movies which miss the point - she is not the love interest, she's just the closest thing to a love interest there ever was, and the proof that Holmes will definitely never be a conventional romantic hero.

I totally agree... with the caveat that Adler was wonderfully used in Nicholas Meyer's The Canary Trainer. She basically gives Holmes marching orders, calling upon her power over him, and he assents in a very understated, low-key way. There's definitely an interpersonal connection, but it's definitely not romantic in any conventional sense.

 

[jbny67]

I've read all the Conan Doyle stories, the three Nicholas Meyer books, and seen numerous TV and film versions.

Same here. I wore out my copies of the Doyle books.

For the Best Screen version of Sherlock Holmes, Look no further than Jeremy Brett. His adaptations are very close to the source material, have fantastic Victorian sets and props. I think he was about perfect.

at least it isn't the 1,000,000th version of The Hounds of the Baskervilles.

I agree wholeheartedly with both of the above statements.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Looks like a fun popcorn movie but it doesn't feel like SH to me. Nor does RDJ strike me as being like the Conan Doyle character. If they wanted a younger, sexier actor in the role, I would have said Hugh Jackman was the obvious choice. But I'd rather have seen Alan Rickman, Jeremy Irons or Gabriel Byrne in the part.

RDJ is 44 (according to Wikipedia), so he's hardly too young for the role.

Re-read my post and show me where I said he was too young. Have fun looking for it.

What I did say was that RDJ didn't strike me as being like the Conan Doyle character. I don't see him having the authority, severity or intensity, not to mention the height, hawklike profile or lean face. But I might change my mind when I see him.

He is, however, younger than many of the actors to play Holmes; eg Jeremy Brett was in his 50s, as was Peter Cushing, while Christopher Lee was pushing 70. And with the shots of him topless and showing off his 6 pack and pecs, it's clear that they want a sexed-up Sherlock. Which is why I said that if they wanted a younger sexier take on the character - and I think they do - Hugh Jackman was the obvious choice, as he's much more in keeping with the traditional profile and appearance for Holmes.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I'll see it. And if it has nothing particular to do with the Sherlock Holmes novels or the character in those novels, fine & dandy. I love Robert Downey Jr in anything but I really don't want to see him performing that particular role faithfully. For starters, I'd find it far too familiar and unexciting to see for the umpteenth time. Jeremy Brett did the definitive take anyway.

 

[archeryguy1701]

As someone who hasn't read any Sherlock Holmes, I am very interested in seeing this movie after watching the trailers. It looks very entertaining.

 

[Kibbin]

Personally I have no problem with Downey as SH and thought it was a good bit of casting when I first heard it, maybe not who would have cast or indeed the perfect man to cast but a good choice between someone who can pull it off and drawn in the crowd with a big name.
Judging the movie from it’s trailer I can say it looks like a fun summer movie. It does not look like a Sherlock Holmes movie however but I could be wrong. Trailers are often aiming for a particular market, male/female, young/old etc etc, It is possible that this trailer is trying to lure in those that would normally consider SH too boring and bland for a summer movie, lets hope.

 

[McCoy]

jadcox, of course I don't mind you asking.

Others have already stated reasons similar to mine. As a Victorian action-adventure film I'm sure it's fine. But it's not Sherlock Holmes. If the Law portrayal were Holmes and RDJ was Watson, it would be more palatable to me. I too loved Without a Clue.

It doesn't help that I don't really like RDJ. I would have liked to see Rickman in the role as well.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I've basically only read excerpts of Sherlock Holmes and one of them was where he "dies" when fighting Moriarty. In that story, he doesn't really solve a mystery, he knows where Moriarty is and then runs at him and knocks him off a cliff (more or less).

My thoughts on this movie is this, I'm glad he's not wearing his hound of the baskervilles outfit. As long as there is a mystery to solve, I'll enjoy this film. It looks like it'll be fun.

 

[Captain Craig]

Trailers are often aiming for a particular market, male/female, young/old etc etc, It is possible that this trailer is trying to lure in those that would normally consider SH too boring and bland for a summer movie, lets hope.

Very good point. It causes me to remember all those people here and about the net that thought V for Vendetta was going to be this great all out action film. When in reality they showed clips from all the few action moments in the film. Vendetta was still a great movie it just caused some to think those parts would comprise the sum and they didn't. The SH trailers could be doing the same thing.

Having read the article in Entertainment Weekly this week I can say I'm even more excited for the film. Much moreso than Avatar that is for certain. If I see Avatar at all.

 

[Saul]

I don't think Holmes was ever about action. Certainly there were points but I don't consider this a faithful adaptation as AICN seems to keep spouting. However I'm really looking forward to it and hope that the film consists of more than just action. I still think Jeremy Brett is the best.