holmes

dear project leader:

this alien was shocked, SHOCKED, at how much he liked sherlock holmes, which, based on the terrible previews, he hadn't even intended to see.

the previews gave it something of a wild wild west vibe (thanks, will smith, for wrecking a perfectly good tv show with cinematic overdose); instead, it was fairly sophisticated, and allowed viewers to think their way through.

true, some of the critical plot points were apparent from the start, but that's a minor quibble. there was one device in use twice early in the movie, that could well have been utilized more: holmes internally analyzes how to respond to a given situation, and then the audience watches the effect in real time.

the device allowed viewers to get into the character's head in a unique manner, which carried the viewer through some of the not-quite-as-well-thought-out bits.

robert downey jr is not reliably entertaining to this alien, and jude law barely even registers; but both were more than adequate.