The Return of High Camp:" Sherlock Holmes "

Have already written on Facebook about the new Guy Ritchie film, "Sherlock Holmes".

Occurs to me on reflection is that what Ritchie has done, probably unintentionally, is to resurrect the notion of "high camp"-- that kind of cliched, over the top and even kitsch-y stuff that typifies say, Busby Berkley musicals.

It is often great entertainment and such is the case with "Sherlock Holmes"--as long as you accept that it's all balderdash.

All the actors in the movie are great and memorable and I think Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are as effective a buddy duo as Paul Newman and Robert Redford...

The evil Lord Blackwood, played by Mark Strong, is fantastic.

This movie is of course NOT Arthur Conan Doyle. It IS however a send up ( as I have written elsewhere) of every buddy film, detective story and action movie every made.

Loved Holmes final confrontation with Blackwood high above the Thames ( on the scaffolding of what is to become the Tower Bridge?)-- where Holmes explains how all of Blackwood's "black magic" has been achieved ( shades of Charlie Chan and "The Thin Man'!").

Fantastic escapist adventure. Violent fights are well staged --one is almost a quote from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" with Holmes facing a tough giant of an opponent ( with a different ending, however).

Also loves how Holmes is always getting kicked around (as also happens to Watson) in the pursuit of the triumph of Good over Evil.