Sherlock Holmes 2009

Sherlock Holmes

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.

69%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 245

77%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 769,362

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Sherlock Holmes Photos

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

(Foreground L-R) Eddie Marsan as Inspector Lestrade and Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes."

Director Guy Ritchie on the set of "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Jude Law as Dr. Watson and Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes."

(Center) Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes."

Jude Law as Dr. Watson in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Jude Law as Dr. Watson, Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Jude Law as Dr. Watson and Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood and James Fox as Sir Thomas Rotheram in "Sherlock Holmes."

Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes."

Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Robert Downey Jr., director Guy Ritchie and Jude Law on the set of "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Jude Law as Dr. Watson and Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes."

Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Kelly Reilly as Mary and Jude Law as Dr. Watson in "Sherlock Holmes."

Jude Law as Dr. Watson in "Sherlock Holmes."

Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson in "Sherlock Holmes."

Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler in "Sherlock Holmes."

Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler in "Sherlock Holmes."

(L-R) Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler in "Sherlock Holmes."

Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood in "Sherlock Holmes."

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

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Movie Info

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.

Rating:

PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Action|A Scene of Suggestive Material|Intense Sequences of Violence|Startling Images)
Genre:

action, mystery and thriller, adventure
Original Language:

English
Director:

Guy Ritchie
Producer:

Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey, Dan Lin
Writer:

Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg
Release Date (Theaters):

Dec 25, 2009 wide
Release Date (Streaming):

Jun 20, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA):

$$209,019,489
Runtime:

2h 8m
Production Co:

Silver Pictures, Wigram Productions

Cast

Robert Downey Jr.
as Sherlock Holmes

Jude Law
as Dr. John Watson

Rachel McAdams
as Irene Adler

Mark Strong (II)
as Lord Blackwood

Eddie Marsan
as Inspector Lestrade

Robert Maillet
as Dredger

Geraldine James
as Mrs. Hudson

Kelly Reilly
as Mary Morstan

William Houston
as Constable Clark

Hans Matheson
as Lord Coward

James Fox
as Sir Thomas Rotheram

William Hope
as Ambassador Standish

Clive Russell
as Captain Tanner

Oran Gurel
as Reordan

David Garrick
as McMurdo

Kylie Hutchinson
as Maid

Andrew Brooke
as Guard Cpatain

James Stephens
as Captain Phillips

Tom Watt
as Carriage Driver

John Kearney (VI)
as Carriage Driver

Sebastian Abineri
as Coach Driver

Jonathan Gabriel Robbins
as Guard

James A. Stephens
as Captain Philips

Terry Taplin
as Groundskeeper

Bronagh Gallagher
as Palm Reader

Ed Tolputt
as Anonymous Man

Joe Egan
as Big Man

Jefferson Hall
as Young Guard

Miles Jupp
as Waiter

Marn Davies
as Police Officer

Andrew Greenough
as Prison Guard

Ned Dennehy
as Man With Roses

Martin Ewens
as Removable Man

Amanda Grace Johnson
as Young Woman Sacrifice

James Greene
as Governor

David Emmings
as Grave Policeman

Ben Cartwright
as Grave Policeman

Chris Sunley
as Grave Policeman

Michael Jenn
as Preacher

Timothy O'Hara
as Porter/Smith

Guy Williams
as Golden Dawn Envoy

Peter Miles
as Thug

View All

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Critic Reviews for Sherlock Holmes

All Critics (245) | Top Critics (56) | Fresh (170) | Rotten (75)

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.

January 16, 2018 | Full Review…

Ed Koch
The Atlantic
Top Critic
Quote not available.

November 17, 2011 | Rating: 2/5

Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
Top Critic
Despite a few laggard moments of slow going, Ritchie has pulled off an entertaining coup in giving us a Holmes for the 21st century by digging back to the 19th century original and adding a few bells and whistles.

January 15, 2010 | Full Review…

Jonathan F. Richards
Film.com
Top Critic
It's everything you want from a family holiday movie, but not worthy of the world's greatest detective.

January 5, 2010

Jon Williams
Little White Lies
Top Critic
What was the thinking behind all this?

January 4, 2010 | Rating: C- | Full Review…

Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor
Top Critic
It's all knotted together, then unraveled with brio, by Holmes and Watson. There are fisticuffs galore, fiery combustion aplenty, and, yes, my dear reader, clever deduction.

December 28, 2009 | Rating: 3/4

Lisa Kennedy
Denver Post
Top Critic
Downey, Jr. is the perfect casting choice who manages to bring a somewhat lackluster script to life.

September 1, 2020 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Allison Rose
FlickDirect
Too much of an action adventure story so it loses what makes Sherlock Holmes entertaining

May 7, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/10 | Full Review…

Rachel Wagner
Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)
There's not only a whole lot of bone-crunching and rib-busting that Holmes joyously indulges in, there's his perpetual grubby look, his overnight stubble, stained shirt and dissolute, world-weary attitude that totally reinvents the character.

February 28, 2020 | Full Review…

Nikhat Kazmi
The Times of India
For although this modern Sherlock may be popcorn friendly it is, in essence, a by-the-numbers action movie with misplaced literary pretensions that will leave fans of the novel cold.

October 25, 2019 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

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

April 17, 2019 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Shubhra Gupta
The Indian Express
mostly forgettable

March 9, 2019 | Full Review…

Amie Simon
Three Imaginary Girls

View All Critic Reviews (245)

Audience Reviews for Sherlock Holmes

Mar 22, 2016

Sherlock Holmes features great performances by Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and more. This film is a lot of fun and very smart. Definitely worth checking out!

Mr N Super Reviewer
Dec 25, 2014

"Sherlock Holmes" (2009) and the man Sherlock Holmes ain't your daddy's Sherlock. In addition to having logical-mathematical intelligence, he's got bodily-kinesthetic intelligence: he can kick butt and take names. This is a real boon for the younger audiences but audiences who love Arthur Conan Doyle's story and classic character might not like it. The film is fun, nonetheless, and allows audiences to delight in Robert Downey Jr.'s version of Sherlock Holmes and his extraordinary judgment. Fun for whole family and a good Christmas film.

Billie P Super Reviewer
Oct 26, 2012

Disturbingly bad, also incredibly altered the character- Sherlock Holmes. Jude Law was OK being Watson, but it's not enough to endure the horrifying acting by Downey. Again, it's not funny, long and dreadful. The storyline is extremely far-fetched. It's of quite peculiar interest to note that Guy Richie has totally destroyed his reputation in film making.

Sylvester K Super Reviewer
Aug 11, 2012

Sherlock Holmes does sometimes have pacing issues, but the smart dialogue, solid performances, and smart re imagining of these classic characters does make this movie worth checking out.

Joey T Super Reviewer

See all Audience reviews

Sherlock Holmes Quotes

Dr. John Watson:	Wear a jacket.
Sherlock Holmes:	You wear a jacket.

Sherlock Holmes:

Is it poison Nanny?

Sherlock Holmes:	You've never complained about my methods before.
Dr. Watson:	I'm not complaining.
Sherlock Holmes:	You're not? What are you right now?
Dr. Watson:	How am I complaining? I never complain. When do I complain about practicing your violin at three in the morning? Or your mess, your general lack of hygiene or the fact that you steal my clothes? When do I complain about you setting fire to my rooms?
Sherlock Holmes:	Our rooms.
Dr. Watson:	The rooms! When do I complain about you performing experiments on my dog?

Inspector Lestrade:

In another life, Mr. Holmes, you would have made an excellent criminal.

View All Quotes

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