Spoilers.

An awesome movie, watchable multiple times, late at night, a feel good comedy, mystery and thriller.

Run time: 2 hours 8 mins.

Director: Guy Ritchie. Budget: $90million

26 December 2009.

7.6 on IMBD & 69% Rotten Tomatoes

Starring Robert Downey Junior as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Watson. This modern film adaption and reboot was exactly what the series needed. Well acted, perfectly filmed, directed and plotted and led smoothly from this film to Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

Our protagonist Holmes (Robert Downey Junior, Iron man), with sidekick Watson (Jude Law, The Talented Mr Ripley) are first sighted together at the opening of the film and we are thrust into this occultish sacrifice in the opening scene with Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong, Kingsmen) apparently leading some sort of dark art murder.

It doesn’t take long for them to detain him but the mystery and the film really pick up when Holmes and Watson learn that Lord Blackwood has escaped from the grave, supposedly risen. They are drawn into the world of the Order, a secret society that condemns Lord Blackwood as evil and capable of great dark, black magic.

We are learning and seeing the characters develop during this time, and the parts are acted superbly. Holmes with his ingenious detective skills is soon luring Watson down a deep dark investigative path. The action, drama and thrills are tightly paced, and yet keep you longing for more. There is something extremely nostalgic and comforting about this movie.

The action accumulates when Lord Blackwood seemingly convinces the Order that he will reign dark days and death of the world. The murders that Holmes and Watson have been investigating have come to this. Holmes and Watson uncover the plot that will be Blackwoods final malicious act in Parliament.

The use of the dark symbolism during the movie is rather disturbing, but me, as many others, will recognise and understand that it is just a movie and provides a great film plot. Ultimately, as Holmes sees through Blackwoods lies, so do we, and the mysterious dark powers are not supernatural at all, but rather science and fear based.

The conclusion also leads very elegantly into the sequel, hinting at Professor Moriarty being the next antagonist and ending strongly.

A family movie, yet dark enough to keep new age movie fans happy. I rate this gem, which is one of the best movies ever made: Rating 5/5

The sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows continues the tradition and humour, glorious film rendition of a classic. MUST SEE.