Overview
A master detective faces his most formidable foe yet, as the dead rise to wreak havoc.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- kinetic
- gothic
- action movie night
- mystery marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the adaptation entertaining and stylish, with Robert Downey Jr.'s charismatic performance and the Holmes-Watson chemistry offsetting its overlong, hyperkinetic approach.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Holmes's investigation is repeatedly translated into brawls, chases, explosions, and stylized predictive combat analysis.
Victorian London is presented through lavish production design, digitally enhanced set pieces, and Guy Ritchie's hyperkinetic style.
Holmes and Watson's investigative partnership is strained by Watson's engagement and sustained through banter and mutual reliance.
Blackwood's apparent return from the grave and alleged black magic provide the mystery's central deceptive surface.
Films like Sherlock Holmes, and why
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Shares a Victorian detective setting, witty partner banter, mystery plotting, and heightened action spectacle.
The Adventures of Tintin
Combines a famous literary detective with pulpy action, conspiratorial villains, and stylized period adventure.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Features a charismatic eccentric investigator, rapid-fire humor, criminal conspiracies, and kinetic direction.
From Hell
Shares gothic atmosphere, Victorian London crime investigation, and a cerebral hero confronting an elaborate adversary.
Movie Details
- Director
- Guy Ritchie
- Release Date
- 2009-12-23
- Runtime
- 129 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (15074)
Cast
- Robert Downey Jr.
- Jude Law
- Rachel McAdams
- Mark Strong
- Eddie Marsan
- Robert Maillet
- Geraldine James
- Kelly Reilly
- William Houston
- Hans Matheson
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Sherlock Holmes about?
- A swaggering Victorian Sherlock Holmes battles a supposedly resurrected occult murderer through brawls, banter, and elaborate deductions.
- What is Sherlock Holmes like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sherlock Holmes as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Sherlock Holmes violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Sherlock Holmes as moderate.
- What did critics think of Sherlock Holmes?
- Critics broadly found the adaptation entertaining and stylish, with Robert Downey Jr.'s charismatic performance and the Holmes-Watson chemistry offsetting its overlong, hyperkinetic approach.
- Which films are like Sherlock Holmes?
- Films with a similar feel include The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Adventures of Tintin, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and From Hell.
- How long is Sherlock Holmes?
- Sherlock Holmes runs 129 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sherlock Holmes?
- In United States, Sherlock Holmes is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
