Movie · 2009 · Adventure, Crime, Mystery · 2h 9m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 4.5/10 (1.3M ratings)
Nothing escapes him.
Overview
Eccentric consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson battle to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy England.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.5/10
IMDb: 7.5/10
Letterboxd: 3.48/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 70%
Metacritic: 57
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Guy Ritchie
Production
Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, Silver Pictures, Wigram Productions
Cast
Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Robert Maillet, Geraldine James, Kelly Reilly, William Houston, Hans Matheson, James Fox, William Hope, Clive Russell, Oran Gurel, David Garrick, Ky Discala, Andrew Brooke, Tom Watt, John Kearney, Sebastian Abineri
Curator Review
Verdict
A slick, playful detective adventure with strong buddy chemistry, brisk action, and a knowingly anachronistic take on Holmes that makes the mystery feel like a caper. It’s less a classic whodunit than a charismatic, high-energy franchise starter with style to spare.
Best for
Viewers who want mystery mixed with action and banter
Fans of stylized period pieces with modern pacing
Audiences who enjoy odd-couple detective partnerships
People who like charismatic star-driven blockbusters
Skip if
You want a faithful, restrained Sherlock adaptation
You prefer puzzle-box mysteries with minimal action
You dislike heightened CGI-heavy period spectacle
You are looking for a dark, serious crime drama
Overview
Guy Ritchie turns Sherlock Holmes into a swaggering, punchy adventure rather than a stately detective story. The film leans hard into momentum: rapid-fire deductions, bruising fistfights, smoky London atmosphere, and a Holmes-Watson partnership built on irritation, loyalty, and constant verbal sparring.
Worth noting
Robert Downey Jr. plays Holmes as brilliant, restless, and slightly unhinged, while Jude Law gives Watson real backbone and dry wit. Their chemistry is the engine of the movie, and the film knows it; the mystery matters, but the pleasure is in watching the duo bounce off each other while the plot escalates toward a larger conspiracy.
Bottom line
It’s not the most elegant Holmes film, and purists may bristle at the liberties, but as a glossy piece of entertainment it works well. The tone is cheeky, muscular, and a little chaotic, with enough invention in the visual style and action choreography to keep the familiar material feeling lively.
Top Letterboxd reviews
rai (2.5★) · 3704 likes
sherlock: nooo watson dont leave me for a girl ur so sexy ahaha
amaya (3★) · 2699 likes
are they...... you know
Ellie ✨ (4.5★) · 1757 likes
13yo me loving sherlock/irene vs 16yo me passionately shipping sherlock/john vs 20yo me, enlightened, knowing they're all in love with each other
liam f (3★) · 1694 likes
there are so many gay undertones in this film that I'm honestly surprised they didn't just call this Sherlock Holmosexual instead
al (4★) · 1533 likes
sherlock saying ‘don’t get excited’ as he undoes watson’s belt, did you say gay