By: Holley Sinn

Verdict: Approved

When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created the character of Sherlock Holmes, he probably wasn't envisioning the eccentric rock star braniac that Robert Downey Jr. brings to life for Guy Ritchie's big screen adaptation of the classic series.  But, then again...maybe he was.  They say 90 percent of directing is casting, and if that's true, then Mr. Ritchie had to have known he had a smash on his hands before shooting even began.  The "Ironman" star brings a sincere likeability to the violin picking, socially awkward inventor and boxer whose task it is to bring London's most devious criminals to justice.   

This film is clearly a set-up for future pictures, in that Sherlock's classic nemesis, Professor Moriarti, has only a tiny, though important, part in the story.  The film begins in a crypt where Holmes and Watson, played by Jude Law, must save a woman from human sacrifice at the hands of the evil Lord Blackwood, played by Mark Strong.  Though apprehended, Blackwood seemingly rises from the dead after he has been hanged and buried.  A series of strange events reunites Holmes with an old flame, master thief Irene Adler, played by Rachel McAdams. 

When it becomes clear that Blackwood is plotting a government takeover, Holmes and Watson must foil his plans to use "magic" against Parliament.  All the while, Holmes is trying to keep Watson from proposing to girlfriend, Mary, played by Kelly Reilly.  Ultimately, despite multiple brushes with death, Holmes is somehow able to piece together the intended master plan and, of course, provide a detailed exposition of how he did so. 

Ritchie's slick cinematic style and near perfect casting make for a gritty, exciting ride that still has plenty of class.  He employs slow-motion breakdowns of Holmes' fighting techniques to demonstrate the way the detective's mind works...each move is carefully calculated, and if executed accordingly, will inevitably lead to success.  Aside from McAdams' swaying back and forth between a minimal English accent and none at all, the acting is spot on, and the result is a stellar action ensemble which will likely yield one of Hollywood's most memorable crime fighting teams.

"Sherlock Holmes" is fully approved....rated PG-13 for intense action sequences and some disturbing imagery, and opens on Christmas Day in bay area theaters.