For my taste, enough of the signature cues remain intact.

At the risk of sounding like a nerd, I am going to be transparent with you. I have been waiting for this day for two years – ever since I saw the Sherlock Holmes reboot starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. A Game of Shadows comes out today, and I guess if I was a true nerd, I would have seen the midnight screening this morning. Although, I am jealous of anyone who did.

All of these new reboots of old stories or comic books are rebrands in themselves. New perceptions (good and bad) come along with every new Bond or Green Lantern. The question of consistency comes into play. Will the characters and plots be similar to the originals? Will the new personas be more or less immutable? Will they have the same idiosyncrasies?

Few fictional characters have risen to the prominence and longevity as the Baker Street sleuth. Like any well crafted piece of work, Sherlock Holmes has been an inspiration in its field – informing identities from Batman to Dr. House.

Guy Ritchie's version is an interesting contrast to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. To me, Doyle's Watson is as much in awe of Holmes as Law seems to be unamused of Downey. Their relationship, while captivating, is not consistent with Doyle's tales. Moreover, the measure of humility Sherlock possesses in the short stories is a far cry from the Tony Stark brashness that Downey sometimes carries over from Iron Man.

For my taste, enough of the signature cues remain intact. In keeping with the original, the study of minute details leads to the most astute conclusions by way of induction. Boredom and drug use are prevalent when there isn't an interesting case afoot. There is mystery and ambiguity surrounding Adler and her relationship with Holmes. He has unparalleled efficiency in the boxing ring, and his pipe and violin are always close at hand. And oh, the views of London!

I am looking forward to seeing round 2 of this rebrand of Sherlock Holmes.

As a side note, If you are looking for some brand consistency, I can recommend BBC's modernization of Sherlock. This 3 part TV series provides more literal renditions of Doyle's tales with masterful parallels and analogies.

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