Chris Pattas Blog

The Peninsula Cinemas in Rosebud provided a nice opportunity to view Guy Ritchie's new "Sherlock Holmes" movie on the first day of 2010.  There were only two people at the ticket counter which was combined with the "junk food" bar so the people waiting were not happy by the slow service.
  I suppose these days we should not be expecting customer service at what is effectively a monopoly affair in this beachside suburb.  A 10 minute chat with the manager was all that would have been needed to show them how to grow the attendance by 200% or more!  I noted at least 5 mistakes in terms of customer service, driving new business and improving share of wallet.
Anyway, I sat down to enjoy the movie.  Robert Downey Jr has always captivated me with his acting.  He is a Hollywood bad boy, but his acting is brilliant because he brings out the fragility of his characters and makes them very appealing.  Unfortunately, in this movie the special effects, humour and karate chops overtake the development of the Holmes character.  We never really find out why Sherlock is an unpredictable genius and Jude Law's Dr Watson character is not allowed to develop fully.  The same can be said of Rachel McAdam's character which is quite shallow.  I do like, though, the way the film uses science to uncover and dispel the superstitions and black magic fears of the populace.  Sherlock, quite rightly, is portrayed as a clear thinker, a scientist, a rationalist and a skeptic - essential hero elements.

This is escapism and adventure at its "coolest".  The photography is great, the music is excellent, the slow motion is brilliantly executed and the flashbacks help tell a story for a new generation of Sherlock Holmes fans.
The ending leaves no doubt that a sequel is being planned.  I rated this version of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic an 8 out of 10.  Take your loved ones along and enjoy the action, the romance and the magic.