Saw this movie yesterday.

I'm not a Sherlock Holmes aficionado, so I tend to have no problem with this take on Sherlock Holmes. In fact, I adore Robert Downey Jr. Always have. I've always thought he was a brilliant actor.

And my favorite adaptation of the books is the new BBC Sherlock series. So, I like the more modern twists.

Anyway, this movie--

There is no mystery about it, unlike the first one. It's a game of both chess and cat-and-mouse between Sherlock Holmes and Professor James Moriarty. In this one, Moriarty is funding a series of bombings and assassinations, hoping to get countries involved in a world war, so he can sell countries weapons. Even though he's defeated, he's right that the world war would happen in a few years. I kept thinking "Give it 20 years, Moriarty. You'll have your world war." (The movie is set in 1892.)

But, there is no mystery. We know that Moriarty is behind all of it all along. But, that's all right. I didn't watch this movie, and I don't watch its predecessor, for the mystery. However, I did recognize a lot of "The Final Problem" in this movie. That's the one I recognized. But, apparently, it also contains elements of "The Sign of Four," "The Speckled Band," "Valley of Fear" (another one I thought of, but I couldn't readily identify it), "The Greek Inspector," "The Dying Detective," "Bruce Partington Plans," and "The Second Stain." I haven't read a couple of these short stories, so I don't know what elements are from them. I have read "The Speckled Band," "The Sign of Four," "The Final Problem," "The Dying Detective," and "Valley of Fear."

But, as I said, I don't watch these movies for the mystery.

I watch it for the chemistry of the leads. RDJ and Jude Law have chemistry in spades. And the "ho yay" was off the charts in this one. The two leads seem to have fun together, and we also have fun watching them.

(And I also watch for stuff blowing up. When you're in the mood for it, nothing beats stuff blowing up!)

Steven Frye plays Mycroft Holmes. I saw him, and I immediately started laughing, to the confusion of my two friends. But, I've liked Steven Frye for a long time. I love "Jeeves and Wooster." So, think of an older Jeeves here (although, Jeeves would have never appeared naked. Don't worry. Things are strategically placed in the way of the camera. You don't see anything. But, Mary Watson's reactions will crack you up.)

If you liked the first one, you'll like this one. And I loved the first one. I think this one is better.

Kat