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May 19, 2009

Sherlock Holmes Looks Elementary (Sorry)

Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes trailer, you guys:

Fair enough. You see, despite this movie's modern pacing and winking humor, it is still a period piece, so it makes sense that within the framework in which these events are supposedly taking place, a knee to the balls joke is not played out. In fact, this particular knee to the balls predates all known knees to balls by 120 years. Kneecessity is the mother of invention. SCIENCE!

Just kidding. That part is played out! But for the most part this looks good. Although I don't know about that shirtless fight scene, Snatchlock Holmes. The first rule about old people with their shirts off throwing fake punches club is you don't talk about old people with their shirts off throwing fake punches club.

Posted by Gabe at 1:00 PM in
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52 Comments

Obviously its been a while since I've read Arthur Conan Doyle. I don't remember it being such a NO-HOLDS BARRED THRILL RIDE. Maybe I'm just thinking of Encyclopedia Brown, as I do at least five times a day.

Posted by: dafs profile link at 05/19/09 1:16 PM  | Reply
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Note to self: if you are going to steal garlic bread; chewing parsley will cover up the smell on your breath, but don't forget to wash your hands or Encyclopedia Brown will catch you!

It's funny, what you remember from children's books, isn't it?

Posted by: Selena  in reply to  dafs's comment at 05/19/09 1:58 PM  | Reply
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I remember that a person can't go to the bank on the first day of the month, when the month has a Friday the 13th. Because that means the first day of the month is Sunday, and BANKS AREN'T OPEN ON SUNDAY.

Posted by: dafs profile link  in reply to  Selena's comment at 05/19/09 2:32 PM  | Reply
Score = 17 Vote up Vote down

It's always useful at this point to bring up the Sherlock Holmes story "The Sign of The Four". The bad guy in that one is a crippled ex-soldier who once used his own wooden leg to beat a guy to death, and the bad guy's sidekick is a homicidal pygmy named Tonga who shoots people with poison darts from his blowgun.

Holmes solves the case by way of a high speed boat chase where Tonga shoots at them with his blowgun and Holmes and Watson return fire with their revolvers.

Non-stop thrill ride may be the wrong word, but sir Arthur Conan Doyle did sometimes like to crib from James Bond movies. He knew psychics, he could see the future.

This trailer kind of looks dumb to me, but at the same times, sometimes Sherlock Holmes WAS a dumb action movie star. So why not.

Posted by: Christopher profile link  in reply to  dafs's comment at 05/23/09 5:41 AM  | Reply
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um, gee, I don't know gabe. If by good you mean totally devoid of any originality and creativity, and bearing more than a passing resemblance to Wild Wild West than yeah, it's good. very, very good. I think you may've just watched a trailer for a future Worst Movie of All Time. (and what about Wild Wild West for that, anyway?)

Posted by: Mycroft at 05/19/09 1:24 PM  | Reply
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THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER'S SHERLOCK HOLMES
ugh.

Posted by: jacob666 profile link at 05/19/09 1:42 PM  | Reply
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pillowcrotch.

that is enough for me - here is my $10.50, kind sir.

Posted by: bijouxbijoux at 05/19/09 1:44 PM  | Reply
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I can haz threesome between RDJ, Jude and Rachel plz?

Posted by: inglorius basTURD profile link at 05/19/09 1:45 PM  | Reply
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You included, that'd be a foursome, but I follow your logic... and commend your estimable taste!

Posted by: Becca profile link  in reply to  inglorius basTURD's comment at 05/19/09 4:24 PM  | Reply
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Guy Ritchie, Robert Downey Jr., and Sherlock Holmes... I really want to like this, but i have to agree with some of the other comments. This preview makes the movie look very unoriginal, with way too much emphasis on flash. I hope the real thing can prove me wrong.

Posted by: meANDmy_mONKEY profile link at 05/19/09 1:49 PM  | Reply
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Well, Guy Ritchie IS all about the flash.

Posted by: ber profile link  in reply to  meANDmy_mONKEY's comment at 05/19/09 5:18 PM  | Reply
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wait a second there weren't vampires in any sherlock holmes stories... somethings become very clear.

This is the exact movie that Party Down was parodying, when Henry and Kyle are both being offered the role of "young Abe Lincoln" (who assists Edgar Allen Poe in fighting vampires) by the studio exec played by JK Simmons and his wife.

Nerd alert. I mostly write hard sci-fi.

Posted by: square jordan at 05/19/09 1:49 PM  | Reply
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sounds like (the cringeworthy adaptation of) A League of Extraordinary Gentleman as well...

Posted by: Becca profile link  in reply to  square jordan's comment at 05/19/09 4:25 PM  | Reply
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Lamers. It's motherfucking Robert Downey Jr. as motherfucking Sherlock Holmes. Things don't get much cooler. Guy Richie may not be the best director, but c'mon, he knows how to make things cool. Only Samuel L. could make this cooler.

Posted by: talkingstove profile link at 05/19/09 1:54 PM  | Reply
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Umm, you just wrote the word(?), "Lamers"....

Posted by: Selena at 05/19/09 2:01 PM  | Reply
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Lamer: one who act lame. I regret I had but one life to give to calling people who hate my one true love RDJ lamers.

Posted by: talkingstove profile link  in reply to  Selena's comment at 05/19/09 2:09 PM  | Reply
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Your commitment to RDJ's is worthy... Even RDJ from Weird Science?

Posted by: Selena  in reply to  talkingstove's comment at 05/19/09 4:59 PM  | Reply
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Barney's movie had heart, but Sherlock Holmes had a football in the groin.

Posted by: booferama profile link at 05/19/09 2:05 PM  | Reply
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Holmes was always a boxer. He was also a coke addict, which is probably why RDJ is playing him.

I'll see it for the key under the pillow part.

Posted by: Sharky profile link at 05/19/09 2:07 PM  | Reply
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I'm all for the continued resurrection of RDJ! Could do with out the Ritchie trademark slow-mo shot(s), however. I don't think he'll ever do better than the opening police chase in Lock Stock, in that regard.

Also: Gabe, I do believe you owe us another apology for "kneecessity".

Posted by: Detroit Dutchgirl profile link at 05/19/09 2:21 PM  | Reply
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Ok, so Rachel McAdams is Irene Adler? The only woman Sherlock Holmes every truly respected? And she's 20 years too young and a love interest for Holmes? SHERLOCK HOLMES NEVER HAD A LOVE INTEREST unless maybe you count Watson.

Posted by: Dorkus Malorkus profile link at 05/19/09 2:23 PM  | Reply
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Also why is she sideways?

Posted by: kate profile link  in reply to  Dorkus Malorkus's comment at 05/20/09 7:11 PM  | Reply
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looks craptastic.

Posted by: j at 05/19/09 2:45 PM  | Reply
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Enough with the "you guys."

Posted by: Adam at 05/19/09 2:56 PM  | Reply
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Good comment. Very critical.

Posted by: Danny Mothers profile link  in reply to  Adam's comment at 05/19/09 2:59 PM  | Reply
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Sigh and boo.

Posted by: Snothouse profile link at 05/19/09 3:25 PM  | Reply
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I'm already excited for Sherlock Holmes 2: The Edge of Reason!

Posted by: RDJ at 05/19/09 3:50 PM  | Reply
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Sherlock Holmes 2: Bare Man's Chest
Also, RDJ is looking curiously like Hugh Laurie.

Posted by: Joel  in reply to  RDJ's comment at 05/19/09 7:13 PM  | Reply
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Gabe, I can't believe you would follow "directed by Guy Ritchie" with "this looks good". I'm sad now. Very sad.

Posted by: jchild at 05/19/09 4:08 PM  | Reply
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I think Brody Jenner's Bromance inflitrated my brain. I just want them to go all Brokeback.

Posted by: Calliwell profile link at 05/19/09 4:09 PM  | Reply
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It doesn't look like Sherlock Holmes, but it does look like a fuckload of fun.

Posted by: Ashley profile link at 05/19/09 4:11 PM  | Reply
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This looks like the sequel to both Young Sherlock Holmes and The Great Mouse Detective...

This is a good thing.

Seriously, was anyone asking for the 187th Holmes movie to be exactly the same as the others? I'll take the Pirates of the Caribbean version in a heartbeat over another stuffy Masterpiece Theater version.

Posted by: TS profile link at 05/19/09 4:53 PM  | Reply
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It reminds me of Wild Wild West meets At World End meets Snatch meets League of Extraordinary Gentlemen meets Van Helsing

Posted by: zach at 05/19/09 5:10 PM  | Reply
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So you're looking forward to it then?

Posted by: langford profile link  in reply to  zach's comment at 05/20/09 5:14 PM  | Reply
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I think slowed down fight scenes should retire. After Zach Snyder and various other offenders of over using slowed down punches it should be stopped from now on. I really don't care to see the muscles of men in slow motion I don't want to see your sweat and saliva flying through the air it is quite off puting

Posted by: Rant_Casey profile link at 05/19/09 5:23 PM  | Reply
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At least Rachel McAdams looks really pretty(as a random whore?). I'm trying to be all glass half full today.

Posted by: jennybean profile link at 05/19/09 6:08 PM  | Reply
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Argh! I was counting on you to hate this Gabe. Justify my opinions by sharing them!
Really, though, this looks like it will eat.

Posted by: Pig Lamp profile link at 05/19/09 8:13 PM  | Reply
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Ok. Robert Downey Jr. (or as I like to call him, Junior) reminds me of a victorian era Han Solo here. Not a good one really, though pulling off the cool, rugged but silly rogue ain't so easy. But here's the surprising part- Jude Law is his polite to a fault worry-wart victorian C-3PO and he's really good at it. I'm not sure where these Star Wars analogies are coming from. Also I apologize for the sincerity of this post; I wrote it expecting a zing to come out and this is what I wound up with :(

Posted by: ben (waiting for the perfect GIF) at 05/19/09 8:54 PM  | Reply
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This movie makes perfect sense. Its just trying to recapture the money-making-magic of Pirates of the Caribbean. That movie was hugely successful.

Posted by: Monkey at 05/19/09 9:13 PM  | Reply
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Well, I'm going to watch the hell out of this.

Posted by: indybree profile link at 05/19/09 11:25 PM  | Reply
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you know, i really would like to see robert downey jr. and jude law as sherlock holmes and watson, but this movie is made by guy ritchie, who is a no talent having douche that has never made a good movie, so i guess i'll pass.

Posted by: rex panther profile link at 05/20/09 12:29 AM  | Reply
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there are some movies where using slow motion is cool and very
necessary. I think by no means sherlock holmes is one of those movies.

Posted by: poopinmypants at 05/20/09 4:27 AM  | Reply
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This reminds me of the early 90s "Maverick" remake with Mel Gibson. But anything where RDJ gets to be a wise-ass merits multiple viewings.

Posted by: Chummy profile link at 05/20/09 6:01 AM  | Reply
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Why does it seem that Jude Law picks his roles based on their tendency to let him wear a hat as much as possible?

Posted by: Chestybongos profile link at 05/20/09 10:37 AM  | Reply
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Had the same thought...

Posted by: Detroit Dutchgirl profile link  in reply to  Chestybongos's comment at 05/20/09 1:51 PM  | Reply
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Okay, I was in London when they were filming this and I happened to be walking by St. Paul's cathedral when they were doing some scenes there...and when I saw RDJ I was overwhelmed by (a) how much shorter he is in real life than I had ever imagined and (b) how much I wish it were David Tennant playing Holmes instead of RDJ.

Posted by: Carrie profile link at 05/20/09 11:06 AM  | Reply
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DIRECTING!

Posted by: Apexa at 05/20/09 3:58 PM  | Reply
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I'm looking forward to his first embarrasingly bad toupee in 5...4...3...

Posted by: Chestybongos profile link at 05/20/09 8:39 PM  | Reply
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Good thing RD Jr is foregoing the arduous task of learning an English accent. Who is to say that Sherlock Holmes didn't have a clipped American accent? Were you there? No, you were not there.

This trailer looks like the Wayans Brothers are doing a "Steampunk Movie."

Posted by: Garmanbozia profile link at 05/22/09 4:23 PM  | Reply
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can't wait for "Sherlock Holmes 2: More People Shooting Guns At Other Stuff"

Posted by: Liam at 05/24/09 3:54 AM  | Reply
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The reason RDJ looks like Hugh Laurie is because House is based on Sherlock Holmes. A'doi.

Posted by: Videodrew at 05/26/09 12:14 PM  | Reply
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I read that after Oscar Wilde's trial Arthur Conan Doyle made Sherlock Holmes considerably more manly in case people assumed he was gay, due to being rather... effete. This trailer = this x 10. This is going to be a manly, manly film.

Posted by: Teleny at 05/30/09 1:39 PM  | Reply
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