OneMetal.com film REVIEW:
Sherlock Episode 1: A Study In Pink: The BBC’s Modern Day Take On Sherlock Holmes

It’s hard not to perceive some kind of Sherlock Holmes zeitgeist at the moment. Guy Ritchie’s recent interpretation brought together the ‘talents’ of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law along with a heap of Hollywood thrills, spills and explosions as well as the promise of another installation this December. Did he simply strike lucky rebooting a vintage franchise or was his divorce from the ultra-moneyed succubus ‘Madonna’ the reason he regained his creative mojo? Er, probably not.

Regardless, one cannot doubt that the public seem to be lapping up the exploits of the world’s most cunning, astute and sarcastic detective, with Ritchie’s films complimented by offerings from the West End and Comedy Troupes around the country. Step forward the BBC with the first episode in their three-part modern day interpretation, Sherlock, headed by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, both of whom have excellent pedigrees with the latest Doctor Who series.

For Sherlock Holmes fans, ‘A Study in Pink’ follows pretty much the first half of ‘A Study in Scarlet’ remarkably well. We are introduced to Dr John Watson returning from war, in this case returning injured from Afghanistan, with hints towards his post-traumatic stress disorder, and an encounter with an old colleague that leads to Sherlock Holmes as a possible flatmate. Almost immediately, Watson is enticed into joining an investigation with Holmes that sees the pair examine a corpse with the word ‘Rache’ scratched beside the body.

Here, ‘Sherlock’ diverts from the original plot and reveals that an apparent suicide is actually a murder, casting other recent suicides into an altogether different light. The pair engage in a frenetic and often thrilling race to track down the killer using Sherlock’s unique brand of sleuthing, deduction and astute logic.

Benedict Cumberbatch slots wonderfully into the role of Sherlock Holmes who, while in a modern setting and comfortably utilising today’s whizz-bang gadgets to stalk down his prey, seems to be an embodiment of the original Holmes in mannerisms and character, making the role his own. Martin Freeman’s Dr John Watson doesn’t lapse into the ‘Tim’ from ‘The Office’ mode that seems to underline many of his appearances, instead underplaying Watson in way that dovetails perfectly into the pair’s dynamism.

To compliment these performances, it is the little touches that make this a truly fantastic production – examples include text messages appearing on the screen beside the appropriate characters, and the utilisation of a quasi-sat nav map showing Holmes’s thought processes and decision-making during a chase scene. Both techniques could have been abused but haven’t by simple and judicious use.

While the ending is slightly anti-climatic, and more reminiscent of the likes of Se7en than the typical Holmes-esque confession, some leeway can be granted considering the various character introductions and foreshadowing of future plot points (such as the introduction of Moriarty). It’s not often you get a top-class quality drama from the Beeb in the summer, but this is definitely worth a look on the iPlayer. Check out the second part this Sunday on BBC1 at 8:30pm.

Bottom Line

Sherlock is a fantastic, humorous and thrilling introduction to a modern-day visioning of Sherlock Holmes. The story isn't the most intriguing and the ending is slightly damp, but boy is the journey worth it...