After decades of Holmesiana in serial, nostalgic, earnest and parodist fashion, a modern re-imagining of Conan Doyle's famous sleuth is definitely necessary. And to a certain degree, Ritchie's pic breathes fresh air into the old formula. Downey Jr.'s seriocomic depiction is closer to Holmes than many old-fashioned fans would admit. He and Law make a strong duo. And Victorian London is beautifully captured.

But there's that ill-fated, shallow and repetitive narrative, full of overlong chase scenes and witless talk, lacking any sense of real mystery and melodrama while opting for a silly tale of pseudo-supernatural mumbo-jumbo instead.

At least, the original stories' pulpiness had style. This one's just mindless fun.

5 out of 10 passed out dogs