I couldn't help but be turned off by this movie. I did my best to go into the film with an open mind, but I just don't think Guy Ritchie did a good job of turning Sherlock Holmes into an action hero. Every time there was a big action or fight scene I just felt this great disconnect with the Sherlock Holmes character that seemed out of place. But the bigger problem is that those are the only scenes that Ritchie seems to be able to comfortably direct. Every time Ritchie tried to film a "Sherlock investigates" scene, it felt sloppy and far too wordy, especially his monologue on the Tower Bridge.
It's a pity, because Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes is probably one of my favorite casting decisions of the year. But also on the downside, Jude Law didn't work for me as Watson (mainly because I just don't like Jude Law) and Rachel McAdams never sold herself as either a temptress of a criminal mastermind.