Sherlock Holmes
I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie with a friend this Sunday and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I thought the choice of story to be appropriately edgy and gritty for the screen, it certainly kept my attention despite may lack of interest in Lord Blackwood's actual motivation for his actions. I also thought Jude Law did an excellent job of protraying a saintly patient Watson. The humour between the due was excellent.
Jeremy Brett is still my favourite Holmes though, I couldn't help but feel the movie pushed the MAD in mad genius a bit too much. Holmes came off as rather manic depressive in parts which just didn't seem quite natural to me. Perhaps its because I'm so used to Brett's Holmes who is always rational, he makes me think "there is a guy I would trust and hire".
It was quite funny though because neither my friend nor I have read the entire Holmes collection (a travesty I known! I lack money to by the set though. ;__;) so afterwards we were discussing some things from the movie that we found intriguing while piecing together our combined information in the subject.
Firstly, I think I'm right in saying that the movie had an original plot? It would only make sense after all.
So I was quite surprised that they chose to introduce Moriarty as an unknown in this movie while Adler was already an old flame because if I remember right the only woman to best Holmes is introduced about mid-way through Holmes cases or something.
Then again I've only seen her shown as a respectable Lady, not a criminal at all, and needless to say in the Brett version Holmes only has a platonic admiration for her. No irrational love sickness allowed! lol.
More importantly though, my friend & I were trying to figure out what exactly the Raven was supposed to symbolise because at the beginning of the film it appeared to accompany Lord Blackwood but it also abbandoned him to hang at the end of the film.
Therefore it seems that it could only really be reperasentative of either the dark arts which Blackwood was supposed to control but didn't (ie/ the greater supernatural force which sustained his success until his human error brought about his death.) Or the Raven is representative of Moriarty as in his greater plan which utilised everyone else as pawns and thus the presence of the Raven was effectively the all-seeing gaze of Moriarty.