Sherlock Holmes

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2:26

Sherlock Holmes

PG-13

2009

2h 8m

Action

Adventure

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

249 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

When a string of brutal murders terrorizes London, it doesn't take long for legendary detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his crime-solving partner, Dr. Watson (Jude Law), to find the killer, Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). A devotee of the dark arts, Blackwood has a bigger scheme in mind, and his execution plays right into his plans. The game is afoot when Blackwood seems to rise from the grave, plunging Holmes and Watson into the world of the occult and strange technologies.

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Critics Consensus

Guy Ritchie's directorial style might not be quite the best fit for an update on the legendary detective, but Sherlock Holmes benefits from the elementary appeal of a strong performance by Robert Downey, Jr.

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Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

04/17/2019

2/5

Watch it, by all means, for a dazzling visual feast, but be warned, this Sherlock is more show than tell.

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Ed Koch

The Atlantic

01/16/2018

The Victorian sets are terrific and the performances of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, both consummate actors with a special style, are excellent. Nevertheless, their performances are not enough to compensate for a less than stellar script.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

09/11/2017

B

As for the film itself, in true Guy Ritchie style is was all over the place with the craziness. But if you can set aside your image of Boyle's Sherlock, you may enjoy this a little more.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

04/28/2025

4/5

The film lets character elements breathe before enshrouding Sherlock Holmes in a rather rote mystery. Even amid herky-jerky rushes of headlong exposition, Robert Downey, Jr. keeps the proceedings humming at a good clip with amusing performative nuance.

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Elliott Cuff

Loud and Clear Reviews

03/20/2025

3.5/5

Sherlock Holmes remains a strong calling card for Ritchie, as well as an under-appreciated chapter in the respective careers of its star-studded cast.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

08/28/2023

3/4

Ritchie [has] slapped the viewer across the face to get their attention, and in the process changed the character for a less attentive audience.

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Andrea R

@RT67447108 May 26

Loved this movie and couldn't wait for the sequel!

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Yuri B.

@RyuBlack May 12

Just a fantastic film done by two great actors... have been a RDJ fan for years now.

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Charlie S

@RT60494889 Mar 26

Sherlock is always a winning character, you just have to know what to do with him, and they knew! There are some points of absurdity in some of its themes, but the chemistry between the characters, even the secondary ones, is great. The development of what’s going on is also good, but it doesn’t let the audience figure things out. And even though Sherlock is a master of exposition, even in the books, this movie relies on it a bit too much.

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Rich L.

@turnerfan77 Mar 11

Robert Downey Jr’s 2009 Sherlock Holmes is one I don’t watch very often but when I do revisit it I always have a good time. RDJ’s take on the Holmes character definitely makes this a fun movie. Jude Law is a great costar that plays off of RDJ almost perfectly. The mystery of the movie is a solid one and the subplot of setting up the next story is sprinkled through out is a nice touch to build anticipation for the sequel. The action sequences are well done as is the cinematography too. This is a very enjoyable film that I definitely recommend. By The Numbers breakdown: Cast-10 Acting-8 Trailer-7 Ending-8 Story-8 Visuals-8 Direction-8 Sound-7 Genre-9 Sub Genre-9 The Faces For Radio score - 82

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iamnotanumber41 T

@Iamnotanumber41 Mar 11

Great acting, great sets and a fun story. I was never a Sherlock Holmes fan but this take on the character definitely entertained. I wish they would have made a third instalment in this series.

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Seola T

@RT01451483 Jan 28

Epic. Might be a bit edgy, still, very cool.

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Guy Ritchie

Director

Robert Downey Jr.

Sherlock Holmes

Jude Law

Dr. John Watson

Rachel McAdams

Irene Adler

Mark Strong

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Eddie Marsan

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Sherlock Holmes: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

When a string of brutal murders terrorizes London, it doesn't take long for legendary detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his crime-solving partner, Dr. Watson (Jude Law), to find the killer, Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). A devotee of the dark arts, Blackwood has a bigger scheme in mind, and his execution plays right into his plans. The game is afoot when Blackwood seems to rise from the grave, plunging Holmes and Watson into the world of the occult and strange technologies.

Director: Guy Ritchie
Producer: Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey, Dan Lin
Screenwriter: Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Silver Pictures, Wigram Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Action|A Scene of Suggestive Material|Intense Sequences of Violence|Startling Images)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 20, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $209.0M
Runtime: 2h 8m