it's elementary

sherlock holmes - i've not a huge fan of the novels, though i have the complete hardbound set of his cases (when i was seconded to edinburgh in 2006 but didn't have time to visit the sherlock holmes museum in london, i asked my colleague who went there one weekend to buy me the hardbound set). i've been wanting to read his novels but never got round to it. the only case i ever read was the hound of the baskervilles (i was in elementary then and sad to say i dont even remember it at all).

this is the exact cover of the book that i have

Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: CRW Publishing Limited (September 2005)
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.4 x 2.1 inches
Product Description: This volume contains all 4 full-length novels and all 56 short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.

when i found out they're making a movie and saw the trailer, i was excited. i was sure this is going to be an amazing movie. i'm not a big fan of robert downey jr (but i know he's good), i like rachel mcadams and jude law (thought it's time he has a good role rather than just being known as the sleazy guy who cheated on sienna with the nanny and got some wannabe model pregnant last year and he doesn't even acknowledge his kid with her).

finally had the chance to watch the movie yesterday with my brother and his wife and hm... i'm speechless. literally. that's what i felt when the lights came on and the end credits started rolling. and i'm not sure that's a good thing.

Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Produced by: Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey, Dan Lin
Written by: Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg, Lionel Wigram (story), Arthur Conan Doyle (characters)
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong
Music by: Hans Zimmer
Studio: Silver Pictures, Village Roadshaw Pictures
Distributed by: Warner Bros Pictures
Release Date: January 8, 2010 (Philippines)
Running Time: 128 minutes

okay, movie-wise it was good. guy ritchie directed the movie and it reminded me of sweeney todd.. the way the whole place was kinda dark and gloomy and the setting and costumes were great, really made you feel like you were back in olden london times. acting was great - all of them were believable.. there was a great chemistry between downey and law.. the banter was funny. the story / plot was good - kept you guessing for a little bit.. but i think that's what's wrong with the film. i read up on the film and i dont think the actual case was based on an actual novel so i wouldn't say that it's because the novel was old so the plot was also..bland.. or maybe it's because ive been reading too many murder / mystery novels and watching too many police procedurals.. i thought the plot was predictable.. i mean (spoiler ahead) it was obvious there were no ghosts.. obvious that the villain didn't die of hanging (when they showed the first hanging, i thought it was weird there wasn't even a single struggle from the villain.. i mean i would think if someone was hanged he would be choking at least until he dies but he didn't - so that was the first sign). oh and the no pulse thing - it was obvious that he must have taken something to make his heart stop for a moment..i mean, they keep showing holmes experimenting on the dog.. and the whole time all i could think of was romeo and juliet.. you know that juliet fake her death thing - so i was thinking that that was what he did.

of course i'm only guessing so the rest of the movie (and it was quite long - more than 2 hours), i was just looking forward to the ending when holmes will give us the big revelation and show us how it was done. and it's funny how he was able to recreate the whole scene with just one visit to the midget's place. holmes is too good or the plot is too fake? you watch and decide. so overall, i think it's a great movie except for the plot. would i recommend people to watch it on the big screen? yes but i will not tell them it's an amazing movie and set their expectations high (they might be slightly disappointed like me). am i looking forward to the sequel? hell yes! i'm more curious about professor moriarty (and i heard brad pitt's eager to take this role!)