Sherlock Holmes: Crime and Mystery Unfolds
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Lonely GirlSherlock Holmes: Crime and Mystery Unfolds
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Lonely GirlCRIMEANDDETECTIVE
SHERLOCKHOLMESbyArthurConanDoyle
he movie begins by showing the Warner Brothers and Village
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Roadshow logos embedded into a cobblestone pavement. We
transition to Dr. John Watson (J ude Law) and Inspector Lestrade
(Eddie Marsan) riding in a carriage in the middle of the night.
Sherlock Holmes (R obert Downey Jr.) follows on foot. He's in a
tremendoushurry-hedartsbetweencolumns,upanddownstairs
andaroundbuildingseffortlessly-andfinallyentersanondescript
building.
nce inside, Holmes starts running down a spiral staircase, but
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pauseswhenhenoticesahenchmanwavingalanternandkeeping
watch.Heanalyzesthesituation,thentakesoutthehenchman.We
seetheattackgetcarriedouttwice-firstasHolmesplansit,and
again as he executes it: a hammer blow to the side of the head,
then grabbing the henchman by his neck to silence his scream,
thendragginghisleftleg.Theninreal-time,weseeHolmesdoall
ofthefollowingatrapidspeedbeforestealingthesentry'sbowler
hat. Holmes continues running down the stairs, until he reaches
the basement, where a black magicritualistakingplace.Holmes
hidesbehindacolumntoassessthesituationagain.
I nthecenteroftheroom,heobservesayoungwomanwearinga
whitedress,tiedtoatable,whileahoodedfigurestandsoverher
chantingsomesortofLatin.Scatteredacrosstheroomareseveral
other hooded figures and henchmen. Holmes begins calculating
howtotakethemout,butisinterruptedwhenaguardcomesup
frombehindhim.Hefightswiththeguard,thenWatsonshowsup
andchokesthemanintounconsciousness.Theygreeteachother
with amusing banter (their friendship is very much written as a
romance, and come up at several points in the film), where
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Watson chides Holmes for forgetting to bring his pistol AND
forgettingtoturnoffthestove.
atson and Holmes race downstairs and attack the henchmen,
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overpoweringmostofthemwhilethehoodedfigurecontinuesthe
ritual.Backatthetable,the(possiblypossessed)girlreachesupfor
adaggerandmakestostabherself.Holmesfinishesdefeatingthe
henchmen, hurries over and stops her just in time. The hooded
figure stops to greet Holmes by name, and is unmasked as Lord
Henry Blackwood (M ark Strong). As he taunts Holmes, Watson
comes running over, but is stopped by Holmes. Turns out, Lord
Blackwood is holding some kind of thin stiletto glass knife that
wouldhavepiercedWatsonthroughthenoseifhehadgottenany
closer.HolmesdirectsWatsontoputhisenergiesintotendingthe
girl,andLestradeandhismenburstinjustinthenickoftime.
s Blackwood and the henchmen are arrested, Lestrade chides
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HolmesfornotwaitingforLestrade'sorders.Holmessaysthatthe
girl's parents hired him, so he doesn't report to Lestrade.Before
Lestradecanretort,anewspaperphotographerwhowantstotake
their picture interrupts him. Holmes throws up an arm and
preventsthecamerafromcapturinghisface.Thus,allthecreditis
giventoLestradeinstead.
he credits flashbyandconsistofnewspaperheadlinesdetailing
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HolmesandWatson'sexploits.
hree months later, at 221B Baker Street, Watson is treating an
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elderly patient. As he dresses, the patient asks about Watson's
planstomovehismedicalpracticetoanewheadquarters.Watson
confirms thatheismoving,andthathehopestohaveawoman's
toucharoundtheplacesoon.Thepatientcongratulateshimonhis
( potential - as Watson hasn't proposed yet) nuptials, before
nervously asking if Holmes is moving too. Watsonsaysno,butis
promptly interrupted by several gunshots that send both men
ducking for cover. The patient leaps up and says that the blasts
must be gunfire, but Watson sootheshimandliesthatHolmesis
probablyhangingapicturewithnailsandhammer.Watsonducks
out to check on the commotion, and is met by Mrs. Hudson
(GeraldineJames).ShetellsWatsonthatHolmesisinamood,and
she hopes that he can calm Sherlock down. At this point, the
elderly patient comes out and is about to talk, when there's the
soundofgunfireagain.WatsontellsMrs.Hudsontogetthepatient
a cup of tea, and he'll go see Holmes himself. He also asks Mrs.
HudsontobringsomefoodtocheerupHolmes.
hen WatsonwalksintoHolmes'sstudy,theentireroomisdark.
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Watson comments into the darkness that he knows Holmes is
bored, as it's been awhile since the Blackwood case. Holmes
remarksthathe'stryingtofigureoutawaytosilencethesoundof
gunfire, and Watson sarcastically retorts that it's clearly not
working.AsWatsontalks,hegoesaroundopeninguptheblindsin
theroom,whichcausesHolmestogroanpainfully.
atson starts rifling through Holmes's mail and offers him
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prospectivecasestoconsider.Holmesflippantlysolvesallofthem
withoutasecondthought.WatsonalsopointsoutthatHolmesisin
the papers again, as Lord Blackwood is about to be hanged, and
Watson will be theattendingphysician,asheconsidersitagood
waytoconcludehisfinaladventurewithHolmes.
rs.Hudsoncomesinwithteaandsnacks,andpointsoutthatthe
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familybulldogGladstoneislyingimmobileonthefloor,sayingthat
Holmeshaskilledthedog,again.Watsonhurriesovertocheckon
t he animal, and asks Sherlock what he's done to the dog now.
Holmesnonchalantlysayshewasjusttestingoutanewanesthetic.
othingseemstobecheeringHolmesup,soWatsonthrowsdown
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themailandtellsHolmesthatheneedstogetoutofthehouse.He
tellsHolmesthathe'sgoingtojoinWatsonandhisfuturefiancefor
dinnerataLondonhotel.Holmesbegrudginglyagrees.
t an upscale restaurant, Holmes checks his watch several times
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before Watson and Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly) show up. They
chitchat, and Holmes's deductive powers come up. Mary shows
somesuspicionatHolmes'sdeductionskills.Hepointsoutseveral
basic details about Watson simply from his walking stick,
indicatingthatheisadecoratedarmyveteranoftheAfghanWars.
Mary asks Holmes to analyze her, over Watson's objections. He
points out that she's a governess and has been engaged once
before, but likely broke off the engagement because the fiancé
wasn't wealthy enough for her. By this point Mary is starting to
becomeincreasinglyuncomfortablewithHolmes'scomments,but
Holmes doesn't notice her discomfort or Watson's warnings. He
justcontinuesramblingon.Healsoaddsthatshe'sprobablytrying
todobetterthistimearound-e.g.findingadoctortowed.Maryis
extremelyoffendedbyhiscomment,andtossesaglassofwinein
his face. She then tells him that everythinghesaidwastrue,but
herfirstfiancedied.Shethengetsuptoleave,thoroughlyupsetby
Holmes'srudeness,andisfollowedbyWatson.Holmesremainsat
thetableandhashisdinner,alone,thoughitlookslikeheexpected
thismeetingtogobad.
ater that night, Holmes participates in a bare-knuckles boxing
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match.He'sgettingpummeledbythelargerfighter,McMurdo,and
seemstobelosing.He'ssuddenlydistractedbytheappearanceof
a white handkerchief at the side of the ring with the
onogrammedinitials"IA."Hescanstheroomandnoticeshisold
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flame Irene Adler (R
achel McAdams), who then winks at him.
Holmes makes to leave the ring - tothegreatdisappointmentof
thosecheeringhimon-butstopswhenhisopponentspitsonhim.
singthedeductivelogicwesawearlier,Holmesfiguresouthow
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to use the handkerchief and some well-calculated moves to take
out his opponent. We see the fight sequence twice - once as
Holmes is planning through it, and then in real-time as he
executes it: it starts when he flicks the handkerchief in front of
McMurdo to distract him, then blocks McMurdo's blind jab and
counterswithacrosstotheleftcheek,andHolmesclapshishands
over the opponent's ears. The dazed McMurdo tries to deploy a
haymaker,butHolmescounterswithanelbowblockandoneblow
tothechest.Holmesthendeliversacrosstotherightsideofthe
jaw that fractures the bone, delivers two morebodyblowsanda
righthooktothejaw,andfinallyaheelkickthatsendsMcMurdo
crashingoutofthering.Hecarriesthemoutwithblindingspeed
to the shock and surprise of everyone in the room. When the
opponenthitstheground,theentireroomfallssilentinshock,and
someone actually says, "Where did THAT come from?" Holmes
looks around, and realizes that Irene's gone.Hetakesthemoney
fromabookieandleaves.
veratScotlandYard,theprisonguardsaretryingtodealwitha
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potential riot. In front of Blackwood's cell, a guard is suffering a
seizure, and no one wants to be aroundhimforfearofhisblack
magic. One of the braverguardsaskshimwhathewants,andhe
saysthathewantstotalktoHolmes.It'shisfinalrequest.
eanwhile,wenextseeWatsonwalkingupthestairsatthePunch
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Bowl tavern. He goes into a room, where he finds Holmesunder
the influence of cocaine, strumming away at a violin. Holmes
reetsWatson,andgesturestoabottleoffliesthathehastrapped.
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HetellsWatsonthatwhenheplaysacertainpitch,theflieswillfly
in a counterclockwise direction. Watson sighs and asks him how
longittookHolmestocatchtheflies,andHolmesadmitsaboutsix
hoursorso.Watsonraiseshiseyebrowsandgoes"Really?WhatifI
do this...?" and opens up the lid, letting all of the flies escape.
Watson then tells Holmes to get up and get decent, as Lord
Blackwoodhasrequestedtoseehim.
atson brings Holmes to the prison. On the carriage ride over,
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Holmes attempts to engage Watson in conversation, but Watson
rebuffshim.Finally,WatsonpunchesHolmesinthenoseandtells
SherlockthathehadalreadyknownaboutMary'spreviousfiance.
Theybickerforawhile,andfinallyarriveattheprison.
ost of the guards are afraid of getting too close to Lord
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Blackwood, so Holmes tells them that he can findhiswayonhis
own. Blackwood greets him,andtellsHolmesthatheisnotdone
killing just yet. He warns Holmes that there will be three deaths
thatwillbeunpreventable.HealsotellsHolmesthattryingtostop
him will be an extremely futile gesture. Holmesignoreshim,and
makes several remarks aboutBlackwood'supcominghangingand
makesoffhandcommentsabouthoweventhoughBlackwoodwas
cunning,hisdeviousplansweregoingtocomeintoanend.Finally
Holmes leaves without paying much thought to Blackwood's
warnings.
lackwood is found guilty of murder, and then is hanged, and
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pronounceddeadbyWatson.
few days later, Holmes is dozing in his study. Irene Adler,
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crackingwalnuts,wakesHolmesup.She'sbroughthimfoodfrom
her travels. It is obvious the two have met before. Holmes looks
r ather unnerved and begins hastily straightening up the place;
including slamming a portrait of Irene that he has on his desk
facedown. The two of them banter forabit,andit'simpliedthat
the two have some kind of romantic chemistry there. Holmes
wrylycommentsonherconartisttalents,andIrenejustshrugsit
off.Shetellshimthatsheneedshimforacase,andhandshiman
envelope with information andmoney.Shethengetsuptoleave,
but not before putting Holmes's portrait of her into an upright
positionagain.Holmesstrumsathisviolinassheleaves.
I renerunsintoWatsonatthedoor,andgreetshim.Watsonseems
rather stunned, but doesn't say anything. We follow Irene down
thestreet,untilshegetsintoacarriage,whereshemeetswithher
shadowyemployer.Shetellshimthatshe'ssureHolmeswillagree
totakethecase.Theirconversationisinterruptedbyastreetbum
who suddenly runs into the side of the carriage. The carriage
driver yells at the bum, who is scared away when the shadowy
employerbrandishesawrist-mountedpistol.
t Baker Street, Watson chastises Holmes for falling for Irene.
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Holmesdeniesthis,butWatsoncontinuestoteasehimaboutthis.
Watsonhasreadthefile:amissingred-headeddwarfnamedLuke
Reordan,whocanbeidentifiedbyhisabsentfrontteeth.Hemakes
some jokes about Irene's taste in men, and asksHolmeswhathe
wasdoing.Holmesstartstoexplain.
e cut back to Irene as she left Holmes's study, while Holmes
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pretendstostrumathisviolin.Oncesheclosesthedoor,Holmes
rushesovertothewindowjustintimetoseeherwalkingdownthe
street.Hehurriedlycomesupwithaplantofollowher.Watsonhas
justpassedIreneatthedoorandhasreachedthemidwaylanding
when Holmes comes running downstairsinahurry.Watsontries
toaskHolmeswhatheisdoing,butHolmesisobviouslyinahurry,
a nd he doesn't explain anything to Watson, and steals his coat.
Holmesjumpsoutthewindowandcrashesontopofthecoalshed.
Watsonsighsandclosesthewindow,ignoringHolmes.
olmes,coveredinsoot,managestocatchuptoIreneinanother
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alleyway. As he hides, two muggers accost Irene. However, she
turns the tables on them, and at knifepoint stealsthefirstman's
wallet and a bouquetofflowers.Hefollowsherthroughacircus,
picking up small little items on the way to pick up a disguise,
carefultoavoidbeingseen.Leavingthecircus,hedeliberatelyruns
intothesideofthecarriage,andisscaredoffbyIrene'semployer
withthewristpistol.
ackinthepresent,Holmesfinisheshisstory.Asthey'retalking,a
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constablefromScotlandYard(WilliamHouston)comesinandtells
them that Lord Blackwood has apparently risen from the grave.
Holmes wants Watson to come with him, but Watson says he
needstovisitwithMary.HolmesobviouslywantsWatsontocome
withhim,soheberatesWatsonfornotcaringabouthisreputation,
sayingthatnogirlwantstomarryamanwhocan'ttellifamanis
dead or not. Watson finally agrees to go. They're taken to the
cemetery to meet with Lestrade, where the limestone outsideof
Blackwood's mausoleum has shattered. Holmes examines the
sceneandlicksapieceofthestoneandwaitsasLestradeandhis
men bring the coffin out. Once they open the coffin, they find a
completely differentbody.Hismissingfrontteethidentifyhimas
LukeReordan,themissinggingermidgetIrenehadaskedHolmes
about.
atsondeterminesthatReordanhasbeendeadforapproximately
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twelve hours. Holmes takes Reordan's watch without anyone
noticing, and then tells Lestrade he'll follow up. Holmes and
Watsonleavethecemetery.
ater, Holmes discusses the initials scratched on the watch.
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HolmestestsWatson'sdeducingskillsbyhavinghimexplainapair
of scratch marks - whichWatsoncorrectlydeducesasindicating
that the owner was a drunk. Watson deduces that theinitialson
thewatch,MG,arepawnbrokers'marks,andquitebycoincidence,
theyseetheshopthatsoldthewatch,andtheygetanaddress.
utsidethepawnbroker'splace,Watsonisapproachedbyagypsy
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woman who claims she knows about him and Mary. He tells the
womantotellhimhisfortune,andshetellshimthatmarriageisa
bad idea, as it'll consist of Mary growing fatandgettingabeard,
print wallpaper and lace doilies. Holmes solemnly echoes
everythingshesays,andWatsonrealizesthatHolmeshasalready
paidoffthegypsytotellhimafalsefortune.HeasksifHolmeshas
no shame,andthen-justtospiteHolmes-buysanengagement
ringforMaryonthespot.
fter Watson purchases the ring and Holmes has obtained
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Reordan's address, Holmes makes to go in and examines the
building. Watson tells him he can't follow, as he has a dinner
planned with Mary's parents. Holmes looks disappointed but
understanding,andgoesinalone.Watsonstandsinthestreetfora
minute before sighing to himself, and [Link] is in the
middle of picking the lock on Reordan's door when Watson just
kicksthedoorin.Asthetwosearchthepremises,theydetermine
that Reordan sensed something was coming to get him. Holmes
determinesthatIreneAdlerhasbeenbyrecently,ashesmellsher
perfume. The room is inshambles,filledwithmedicalequipment
andexperimented-onanimalsofvariouskinds,includingdissected
frogs and rats. Reordan also appears to have been working on
some sort of attempt to combine sorcery andscientificformulas
together.WatsonfindsapartiallyburnedpieceofpaperwithLord
lackwood'swatermark-effectivelylinkingReordantoBlackwood
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- andHolmessnipsthetailoffofanexperimented-on(anddead)
rat. Holmes also observes a plate with some kind of melted
substance and honeycombs, as well as some sort of gunpowder
thatburnswithapinkishhuewhenlitwithamatch.
olmesisrightinthemiddleofsayingthateverythingfitsinwith
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what he's been thinking, but there was one smell he couldn't
identify - toffee. It is at this point that two of Blackwood's
henchmencomein,oneofthemeatingacaramelapple(thescent
thatHolmeswassmelling),andWatsoncallsHolmes'sattentionto
them.Holmesnotesthatthey'recarryingcanistersoflighterfluid
intheirhands,andasksthemenifthey'reheretoburndownthe
building. They smile sinisterly and say yes, and then call out for
their colleague - an extremely large man named Dredger(Robert
Maillet).Dredger,whoonlyspeakssubtitledFrench,asksifthereis
a problem. Holmes takes on Dredger while Watson takes on the
twosmallerthugs.
s they fight, Holmes pauses to catch his breath, and asks for a
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moment,andDredgershrugsandpolitelysaysit'snotaproblem.
he fight comes to a head when Holmes discovers an
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electricity-powered rod - an early version of a taser - amongst
Reordan's inventions. Holmes wields it at Dredger, and a slight
touchthrowsDredgerbackwardsthroughawallwiththeforceof
a shotgun blast. Dredger regains his footing, but another zap
causes him to fly backwards and crush one of the thugs holding
Watsonhostage.EventhoughHolmesadmitsthathedoesn'tknow
howitworks,hechasesDredgerintothestreet.
olmes chases Dredger down to a London shipyard. There's a
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half-finishedboatintheyard,andthemenalllookupininterestas
olmesthreatenstozapDredger.Heasksthemanwhoheworks
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for, and Dredgerresponds,"Youknowwho",beforereachingover
andcrushingtherod.Nowdefenseless,Holmescanonlyrun.
he twomendukeitoutintheshipyardasWatsonfollowsthem
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[Link] some miscalculations on Watson's part, the moorings
fortheboatarereleasedandthehalf-finishedboatisprematurely
launchedintotheThames,whereitsinks.Dredgerfleesthescene,
andWatson-havingdivedtosaveHolmesfromthemovingboat-
andHolmesareleftlookingatthesunkenship.
atson and Holmes are arrested and subsequently held in an
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outdoor pen. It looks like a drying out tank for minor criminals.
Watson complains to Holmes that all he wanted to do was eat
dinner with Mary's parents, and it becomes a full-on rant about
Holmes's various bad habits. Holmes triestodeflectWatson,and
theirargumentreallyseemslikethatofanold-marriedcouple.
J ust as Watson's about to really get going, a police guard calls
Watson'snameandtellshimMaryhaspostedhisbail.Watsongets
upandHolmesfollows,butHolmesistoldthatbailhasonlybeen
posted for Watson. As the gate slams behind Watson, one of the
othercriminalsbeingheldtellsHolmesthathebettergetoutsoon,
asthecriminalsaregetting"hungry".
henextday,alargegroupofpeoplearesurroundingsomething.
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The guards are worried it might be a riot, but it turns out tobe
Holmessittingdownwiththecriminalfromearlier,crackingjokes.
The crowd laughs uproariously, before a guard steps in to tell
Holmes that his bail has been posted. When Holmes asks who
postedthebail,theguardjustsaysthatHolmeshasfriendsinhigh
places. We see a rich-looking carriage in the distance, where a
and beckons to Holmes. He steps in, and is told he has to be
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blindfolded.
hen Holmes's blindfold isremoved,he'sinsidealargemansion.
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Standing in frontofhimisSirThomasRotheram(J amesFox)and
another associate.TheyapologizeforblindfoldingHolmes,saying
they needed to protect their location. Holmes scoffs a little, and
promptly gives a full turn-by-turn recap of the route they just
took,simplybasedonobservationsusinghisothersenses.Hethen
notestheringonSirThomas'sfinger,andconcludesthatheisin
the headquarters of the TempleoftheFourOrdersinSt.James's
Square. It's at this point that the Home Secretary Lord Coward
(Hans Matheson), and American Ambassador Standish steps into
theroomaswell.
irThomas,LordCoward,andStandishexplainthattheTempleof
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theFourOrdersisasecretsocietysimilartoTheIlluminatiandthe
Freemasons who practice magic for good. They tell Holmes that
Lord Blackwood was once a member, but they're having trouble
controlling him. Theywantthesituationresolved,andarewilling
toputeverythingtheyhaveatHolmes'sdisposal.LordCowardtells
Holmes that as he is the Home Secretary, he has control of the
police force. Sir Thomas tells Holmes that the key to Lord
Blackwood's power is in a book of spells. He hands a book to
Holmes who flips at it disinterestedly. Sir Thomassaysheknows
thatHolmesdoesn'tbelieveinmagic,butit'simportant.
olmes sayshe'llhelp,butnotbecausehewantstheirresources.
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He'sgenuinelycuriousaboutthesituation.HealsorevealsthatSir
Thomas is Lord Blackwood's father, based on the fact that they
haveidenticalphysicaltraits.SirThomasseemsstunned,andsays
that very few people know of the relation.SirThomasconceived
LordBlackwoodwithoneofthewomenusedintheirrituals,and
lackwood has been evil since his youth. Holmes says that given
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thateveryoneBlackwoodisclosetohasbeenkilled,SirThomasis
probably Blackwood's next victim. The three men look at each
otheranxiouslyasHolmesleaves.
I rene Adler finds Holmes trying to get into her hotel room, and
handshimabottleofwinesaying,"Here'ssomethingyoumightbe
abletoopen".Asshechangesbehindascreenandwithherbackto
Holmes, Holmes confronts her about Reordan's death. It's clear
that she's very troubled by this news, but she plays it off for
Holmes. Holmes urges her to flee, and she invites him to come
along. He says he can't, but tells her that she has to go or he's
going to put her in protective custody. Holmes confronts Irene
aboutthemaninthecarriagewiththewrist-mountedpistol,and
remarks that he must be a professor - as evidenced by a chalk
mark on his collar. Irene seems completely non-plussed that
Holmes has followed her. We understand that this is a game of
chaseforbothofthem,andwillalwaysbethatway.
I renepourstwoglassesofwineandhandsHolmesone.Hegulpsit
down, andimmediatelybeginstofeeldizzy.Herealizesthenthat
the wine was drugged.Irenechidinglytellshimthatheshouldn't
haverefusedtocomealong,andpullshimontothebed.Hepasses
out.
ate at night, as Sir Thomas is bathing at his house, he hears a
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noise, looks around but dismisses it. Suddenly, the water starts
bubbling, the lights go out, and Lord Blackwood appears. Sir
Thomas tries to turn the water off, but his hand can't reach the
faucet. Blackwood pushes his own father's hand into the water,
thenstealshisring.BlackwoodstaysuntilSirThomasdrowns.
he next morning, at Irene Adler's hotel room, a maid comes in
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and shrieks with shock at what she finds: Holmes has been
handcuffedtothebed,andhasapillowcoveringhisgenitals.Irene
hasevenleftthe"keytohisrelease"undersaidpillow.Wethencut
to Holmes sitting in a carriage, retelling the storytoClarkie,the
constable who had fetched him to Lord Blackwood's gravesite.
Clarkie finds the whole thing extremely amusing, and says it's a
goodthingthatthemaidwasoffendedenoughtocallthepolice,as
ithelpedHomesoutofthesituationquicker.
They pull up to Sir Thomas's mansion, and they begin their
examinationofthebody/murdersite.Holmesaskswhythewater's
beendrained,andtheconstablesaysitwasoutofrespect.Holmes
sitsdownandsortoflaughsatScotlandYard'sincompetence.He
tellsthemtolookforabathpowderwhileheexaminesthescene.
fter the last constable leavestheroom,Sherlockbeginstapping
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onthewalls,andfinallyfindsalatchthatallowshimtoopenupa
hidden door. Behind the door is a small space with magic
tools/symbols/etc. Holmes rifles through theitemsandpicksup
twoskullsandabookofspells,whichheslipsintohiscoatpocket.
Astheconstablescomebackintotheroom,heasksthemifthey've
foundthepowder.Theysayyesandheleaves.
mbassador Standish (William Hope), the ambassador to the
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United States, arrives at a nondescript building that night.
Standish is greeted by Lord Coward and other members of the
Order,whoinformhimthatSirThomasisdead.Cowardthentells
himthatthey'revotingonanewleader,andhasalreadyappointed
Lord Blackwood. Standish seems stunned, but Coward says that
this is the natural order of things. Blackwood (according to
Coward)ispowerfulenoughtomakeBritainregainitspastglory,
including winning back to the US. Blackwood appears, and says
t hattheUSiscurrentlyembroiledinpost-CivilWarturmoilandis
ripeforthetaking.Hethensitsdownintheleader'schair.
tandish says that he won't stand for this, and decides to shoot
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Blackwood instead. Blackwood suggests he not do so. Standish
ignores it, and pulls the trigger, and instantly bursts into flames,
which shocks theothermembers.Standishleapsoutthewindow
and falls to his death, while Coward urgestheothermembersto
drinktotheirnewleader.
he following day, Watson is packing up his medical studio.
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Holmes sticks his head in and asks if he can useWatson'sstudy,
now that it's no longer occupied. Watson seems a little hurt but
agrees, and Holmes carries in a body. It's from one of the
henchmen who attacked Holmes and Watson at Reordan's
apartment, who apparently died after his neck was crushed by
Dredger'sweight.
heyexaminethebody,andtrytofigureoutwherethemanwas
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before his death. They determine that he was working out of a
meatfactoryneartheThames,aleadHolmeswantstochasedown
immediately. Holmes tells Watson he doesn't have to come, but
deliberately leaves his pistol onthetabletogetWatsontofollow
hislead.
hatnight,HolmesandWatsontravelwithTanner,aboatcaptain
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who knows London's waterways better than anyone else. Tanner
and Holmes are laughing uproariously while Watson's struggling
with manning the boat. Watson complains that they'renotdoing
anything,butHolmesandTannerjustlaughathim.
hey dock the boatatthefactory.HolmesandWatsongoinside,
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and the setup is very similar to the redheaded dwarf's place.
here'salotofscientificequipment,andabiblicalquotationthat
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referstotheend.AsHolmesandWatsonstalkaround,theynotice
a row of pigshangingonaline,readytobechoppedintopieces.
They're interrupted by Lord Blackwood's voice, who says thathe
warnedHolmesallofthiswouldhappen.HolmesandWatsonback
upagainstthewallwiththeirweaponsbrandished,buttheycan't
figure out where the voice is coming from. Blackwood's face
suddenlyappearsinacrackinthewallbehindHolmesandWatson,
andbothmenjump,turnaroundandshootatthenoise.However,
Blackwoodmanagestogetaway,butnotbefore1)sayingthat"she"
followedHolmesandWatsonand2)settingoffflames.Indeed,he
kidnappedIreneAdlerandtiedheruptothepigline,surrounded
by flames. Watson cautions Holmes that "this game is going to
hurt".
olmes wraps himself in a blanket and races towards Irene. He
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throws the blanket around Irene, trying to protect her from the
flames. At thesametime,Watsonbeginsfiddlingwithequipment
togettheflamestostop.Hemanagestostoptheflames,butthe
lineisstillheadedtowardstheblades.
olmesseesaboxofscraps,reachesupandthrowsthescrapsin
H
the gears of the line, trying to jam it. It works for a couple of
seconds, but the scraps move and the line continues to move.
HolmestellsWatsontopropIreneup,whilehetriestofigureout
whattodo.Watsonracesover,andHolmesgrabsasawandtries
to hack away at the chains binding Irene to the line. It doesn't
work.
hey're only seconds away from the animal-slicing sawnow,and
T
Holmes sees a steam pipe. He tells Watson to turn it on, and he
effectively overloads the pipe and brings the line crashingdown.
Irene is saved from the saw, only seconds away from being
hopped up. Once freed, she hugs Watson and Holmes, also
c
leaningtokissHolmesonthecheek.
atson goes after Lord Blackwood with Holmes following close
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behind. As Watson runs, he's too distracted by Blackwood's
getaway boat fleeing the scene, and hits a trip wire. He turns
around to see Holmes behind him, and yells at Holmes to stop.
Unfortunately, the line has already been tripped, and a series of
explosions rips through the building. Watson and Holmes are
separatedbyblasts,soHolmesgrabsIreneandtriestoshieldher
to the best of ability. The explosions go on for some time, and
Holmesfinallyblacksout.
henHolmesfinallycomesto,theconstablefromearlier(theone
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thatsummonedhimtoBlackwood'sgraveandescortedhimtoSir
Thomas'smurderscene)isshakinghim.HetellsHolmesthatLord
CowardhasutilizedhispowersandissuedawarrantforHolmes's
arrest. He also informs Holmes that Watson's doing okay, but
Holmesmustfleeimmediately.Holmesgetsupandbeginstorun.
ecuttoIreneAdlerdressedandabouttoboardatrain.Sheasks
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aconductorifthetrainisdelayed,andheassuresheritisnot.She
getsintohercar,andweseetheshadowfigurefromearliersitting
in a corner, reading a newspaper. He tells her that the train will
leavewhenhewantsitto;Healsochideshersayingthathehired
her to manipulate Holmes's feelings for her, not to have her
succumbtothem.Irenegulps.
ut to adoctorleaningoverWatsoninahospitalward.Watson's
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asleep, and we can see that he's severely injured. We see Mary
approach the bed and ask the doctor how Watson's doing. The
doctor hastily excuses himself, and Mary follows, asking if that's
" thebesthecando".Wegetaclose-upandseethatthedoctoris
actuallyHolmesindisguise.
olmeslooksguiltyandanguished,butMarygentlyassureshim-
H
without ever acknowledging his identity - that Watson wouldn't
havegotteninvolvedifhedidn'twantto.Hesawthewholething
as an adventure. She tells Holmes that everything's going to be
okay,butheneedstofixit.
uttoHolmessittingintheopiumroomatthePunchBowlfrom
C
earlier, thinking over the situation. He pulls out the bones he
collected from Sir Thomas's, along with the spell book. Holmes
decides that the only way to truly understand the situation isto
understandthemagic,andattemptstocreateoneofthespells.His
mindwandersinadaze,andhepassesout.
uttoHolmesonthebed,wakinguptoIrenestaringdownathim.
C
Shegreetshim,andthenweseethatWatsonissittingintheroom
as well. Watson comes over to sit onthebedwithhim,andthey
haveanawkwardmomentofnotlookingateachother,grumbling
that they're glad the other is okay. (It's very much another
bromancemoment.)Irenejuststudiesthemwithamusement
atsonasksaboutHolmes'srecreationofthemagic(they'rereally
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detailed pentacles and animals drawn all over the floor), and
Holmes explains that it allowed him to understand Lord
Blackwood'snextmove.
e explains that based on the spell book, spell practitioners will
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alwayshaveadrawingofapentacleandacrossinthepentacle.*
He pulls out a map and says that using the Order's temple as a
center point (the building where the US ambassador was killed),
lackwood'searlierfivevictimswereallkilledatthefivepointsof
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thepentacle.*Thefollowingthreevictims(followingBlackwood's
resurrection)werekilledatthepointsofthecross,andeachdeath
corresponded to an animal. (Each cross point has an animal). *
There'sonlyonecrosspointleft,whoseanimalisalion.Itmeans
that thenextsiteisgoingtobetheHouseofParliament,asboth
theHouseofCommonsandtheHouseofLordsaremeetingtoday.
tthispoint,Sherlock'sexplanationisinterruptedbythearrivalof
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Lestrade and his men. Sherlock tells IreneandWatsontoescape
throughatrapdoor,andhandsWatsonanenvelopewithalistof
instructions.HolmesremainstofaceoffwithLestrade.
estrade takes Holmes in a carriage to the House of Parliament
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and delivers him to LordCoward'soffice.Lestradecomesin,and
apologizes for interrupting Lord Coward. Lestrade pulls open a
coatandshowsapinwithwhatappearstobetheOrder'ssymbol,
and says that he has brought Holmes to Lord Cowardtoprotect
theorder.LestradeaccusesHolmesofspreadingrumorsaboutthe
Order, while Holmes retorts that he now knows that being an
Order memberishowLestrademanagedtobecomeaninspector
atScotlandYard.
Lestrade excuses himself, and Lord Coward begins taunting
Holmes. Holmes manages to close the flue on Lord Coward's
fireplace, before inquiring about Lord Coward's plans for the
Order.
oward(withhisbacktoHolmes)admitsthattheyonlywanttrue
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believersinthegovernment,buttellsHolmeshe'llneverfigureout
how Blackwood, Coward and the Order plan to take out the
non-believers.
olmesscoffsandtellsCowardthathe'salreadyfigureditout.He
H
noticed that Coward's boots were stained with mud when he
walked in, and Coward smells like the sewer. Undoubtedly,
BlackwoodhassethistrapupinthesewersbeneathParliament.
( We cut to a quick scene of Blackwood, Coward and followers
anointingasiteinthesewers.)
olmesalsoaddsthatheknowsCowardwaswithBlackwoodfrom
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the beginning: Coward's shoes are one of a kind, and Holmes
noticedthemwhenhebrokeuptheritualthreemonthsago.
owardpullsoutaweaponandturnsaroundtoshootHolmes,but
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theclosedfluehasallowedtheroomtofillwithsmoke.Hestalks
around the room trying to sense Holmes out, but we see that
Holmes is actually sitting behind him, smoking his pipe. Holmes
tells him that they havealottogetdone,dartsacrosstheroom,
andleapsoutthewindow.
nce Holmes hits the water, he holds up a pipe and ispromptly
O
thrownaropebyWatson,whoiswaitingintheboatfromearlier.
Holmesgetson,andiswrappedinablanketbyIrene.
heydiscusswhatHolmeshasfiguredoutregardingthesitebeing
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in the sewers. He also tells them that he had worked out with
Lestrade on how to get into LordCoward'sinthefirstplace.We
cut toaflashbackofHolmestellingLestradewhattosay/howto
act on the carriage, including pretending to be a member of the
order.
Followingthis,Holmesdirectsthemtoanentranceforthesewers.
uttobothHousesofParliamentfilingin.Coward'sexaminingthe
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scenewithaknowingsmile.
ut to Watson, Holmes and Irene in the sewers. They're greeted
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withadeviceloadedwithpoisonthatissettobereleasedintothe
vents surrounding the House. Several men are guarding it, and
WatsonhurriedlyconferswithHolmesonwhattodo,butthey're
interrupted by Irene whipping out a pistol and shooting at the
men.WatsonremarksthatHolmes'smuse"certainlylikestomake
anentrance".
hethreeofthembeginbrawlingwiththeguards,andthey'reonly
T
interrupted by the arrival of the French man from earlier. Irene
attemptstoshootattheFrenchman,butonlyupsetshim.Holmes
chidesher,andtellshertofigureoutthedevice.
pstairs,LordCowardannouncesthereturnofLordBlackwoodto
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thedisdainanddisgustofmostoftheroom.Blackwoodsaysthat
they need to join together, andbelieverswillreviveEngland,etc.
Lotsofheadshakinganddisdainfollow.
ack downstairs,Irene'shavingtroubledisarmingthedevice.She
B
says that it's been designedinawaythatanyattemptstostopit
willfail.HolmesandIreneagreethatthedeviceissomehowgoing
tobetriggeredremotely.Watsoncontinuesfighting.
pstairs, Lord Blackwood says that all non-believers will perish.
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MembersoftheOrdermaketostandatthedoorsandlinkarms,to
preventeveryoneelsefromleaving.
ownstairs,HolmesandIreneagreethattheonlywayistoblock
D
the release of the device, pull out the canisters of poison in the
device, and set off aremoteexplosion.Irenemanagestopullthe
anisters out, and goes racing off into the sewers. Holmes helps
c
Watsontakeoutmoreguards,andthenchasesafterIrene.
pstairs,LordBlackwoodsetsoffthedevice,butnothinghappens.
U
Coward looks confused,andBlackwoodstalksofftothesewerto
findoutwhat'sgoingon.
I renecontinuestoracethroughthesewers,lookingforawayout.
Holmesfollowsbehind.Blackwoodnoticesablurrunningpastand
followsaswell.
I renefinallyreachesopenair,onlytodiscoverthatshe'ssomehow
ended up on the scaffolding for a partially completed Tower
Bridge. Holmesappearsbehindher,declaresthathewasn'tgoing
tochaseheranymore,andtellshertoleave.
I renelooksexhausted,andsaysthatshe'lltellHolmeseverything.
He replies, "I wish you would". But before she can speak, she's
interrupted by Blackwood, who pushes Irene off the scaffolding.
Shehitsanotherscaffoldingpiecebelow,andisknockedout.
olmes and Blackwood face off, and Holmes tells him that he
H
figured out that all of Blackwood's "magic" is just well plotted
scientifictricks.
ordBlackwooddidn'tresurrectfromthedead-hehadaclipon
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his noose that shifted the weight to his waist. * The limestone
outside of Lord Blackwood's grave wasn't shattered by
supernaturalforce.Instead,itwasshatteredbeforehand,andglued
together by the honeycomb substance Holmes and Watson saw
while going through Luke Reordan's lab. (This explains a scene
where Holmes is licking the limestone at the cemetery.) * The
Ambassador wasn't killed by supernatural force. Instead, the rain
s howering him was a gas that triggered from rigged gunpowder
fuel when the ambassadorpulledthetrigger.*SirThomas'sbath
powder, when mixed with themetalcontentfromThomas'sring,
caused the water to boil. * The reason the Order members
wouldn'thavebeenpoisonedisbecauseBlackwoodhadthemdrink
the antidote to the poison after the ambassador was killed. The
antidotewasdisguisedasholywater.
lackwood congratulates him on figuring it out, and Holmes
B
mentions that he can't wait to see Blackwood in jail. Blackwood
reaches for a weapon to kill Holmes, but accidentally trips off a
scaffolding and falls to his death. His body is left hanging off of
Tower Bridge, which is supposed to be ironic, considering the
plansfortheoriginalexecution.
olmesgoesdowntowhereIreneis,andwaitsforhertowakeup.
H
ShetellshimthatheroriginalemployerisamannamedProfessor
Moriarty,amanwhoisdangerousandjustassmartasHolmes.She
warns him that Moriarty is a very dangerous foe, but Holmes
laughsitoff.Hethenputshandcuffsonheranddropsakeydown
hershirt,acallbacktothehotelscene.Hekissesheronthehead,
andthenleavesheronthescaffolding.
ut to Watson walking down the street with Mary, and Mary
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asking if Holmes has really reconciled himself to Watson moving
out. Watson says he has, and gestures to the replacement ring
Holmesboughtforher-ahugediamond.
hey go inside, and Mary seems taken aback to see Holmes
T
hangingfromtherafters.Watsonisnon-plussedthough,andsays
that Holmes is too arrogant to kill himself. He pokes at Holmes,
andHolmesawakens.Holmesexplainsthathewastestingouthow
Blackwoodpreventedhisdeathatthefirsthangingattempt-the
lip distributing the weight to the waist. He asks Watson to cut
c
him down; Watson refuses. Only after Holmes has explained
everythingWatsonfinallycutsHolmesdownfromtherafters.
ary notices thatthedogisunconsciousagain,andHolmessays
M
the dog will be fine in a minute. It'satthismomentthatHolmes
learns that a piece is missing from the machine Blackwood
attempted touseagainsttheHouse.HefiguresoutthatMoriarty
took a piece while Holmes was busy chasing after Irene. Holmes
figures out that Moriarty may be a more dangerous foe than he
originally thought. Watson and Mary leave to go to their new
home,andHolmesisleftalonetomuseoverthenewcasethathas
beenbroughtbeforehim.
VFORVENDETTAbyAlanMoore
" Remember, remember the fifth of November, the Gunpowder
Treason and Plot. I know of no reason why the Gunpowder
Treasonshouldeverbeforgotten."
he film opens with a recitation of these words as a flashback
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sequence brings us to early 1600's England. Guy Fawkes is
captured and executed for his attempt to blow up Parliament, a
planhehopedwouldrestoreCatholicruletoaProtestantthrone.
I n the near future, in Great Britain, a young woman namedEvey
Hammond(NataliePortman)isshownpreparingtogooutforthe
night while she watches a TVprogramhostedbyLewisProthero
(Roger Allam), the proclaimed 'Voice of London' and a firm
supporter of the fascist NorsefirePartythathasreplacedtheold
government. A mysterious figure dressed in black mirrors Evey's
actions as he too watches the program from his own home.
Protherorevealsthatthegovernmentisbasedaroundreligionand
faith, reciting the mantra 'Strength through unity. Unity through
faith'.Disease,violenceandwar(blamedprimarilyonthe'former'
United States), and the fear and resentment of particular groups
within the country including homosexuals, Muslims, and
immigrantsfueledthedramaticchangeandputthecurrentleader,
ChancellorAdamSutler(J ohnHurt),incommand.
vey shuts off theprogramandheadsoutthedoor.Asshewalks
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intoanalley,sheisstoppedbyafewmenwhoscoldherforbeing
outpastcurfew.Whentheybecomephysicalshepullsoutacanof
mace but they then reveal themselves to be members of the
Norsefire secret police; 'Fingermen', and threaten Evey with
sedition. She pleads for mercy before the men grab hold of her
withtheintenttorapeher.Thecloakedfigureinblackappearsin
t he alley, wearing a Fawkes maskandhat,andquicklydispatches
the Fingermen before introducing himself to Evey as 'V' (Hugo
Weaving). Showing a penchant for theatrics with an impressive
play on words, he invites Evey to accompany him to a nearby
rooftop to watch a performance of his. There, they have a clear
view of The Old Bailey and V explains that he's there to
commemorateaspecialdayinhistory,oneheintendstouseasa
symbol against the tyranny that has replacedLadyJusticewitha
false idol. As Big Ben tolls midnight, the fifth of November, V
recites the centuries-old adage before conducting the finale to
Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture which plays over the loudspeakers
throughout the streets of London. At the moment of crescendo,
TheOldBaileyexplodesinabrilliantdisplay.Vlaughshysterically
whileEveycanonlywatchinhorror.
ollowing the explosion,acongregationofNorsefire'selitemeets
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in a secret conference with Adam Sutler, his face projected ona
large screen. Included are Inspector Eric Finch (S tephen Rea) of
the police, RogerDascomb(B enMiles)oftelevisionbroadcasting,
Brian Etheridge (E ddie Marsan) of the auditory surveillance
system,PeterCreedy(T imPigott-Smith)ofthesecretpolice,and
Conrad Heyer (G uy Henry) of the CCTV. Effectively and
respectively,theymakeupthenose,mouth,ears,fingers,andeyes
ofthegovernment,withSutlersittingatthebrain.Sutlerdecrees
that the destruction of The Old Bailey is to be announced as an
impromptu demolition project to make way for a new building
while an investigation ensues to find out who the man in the
Fawkes mask is. While V's remains a mystery, Evey's identity is
quickly discovered thanks to video surveillance and Sutler
demandshercaptureandinterrogation.
he next morning Evey, working as an assistant within the
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broadcasting station, jokes with security guard Fred (Andy
ashleigh)beforedeliveringanunmarkedpackagetothecostume
R
department.Ashersupervisoropensitanddiscoversblackcloaks
and Fawkes masks, V walks into the lobby of the station with a
bomb strapped to his chest. Inspector Finch and his partner
Dominic Stone (Rupert Graves) hurry to the station in order to
apprehendEveywhileVdisengagestheelevatorsandforcesmost
of the station to evacuate. As Evey nervously walks through the
crowdtowardsthestairs,shecatchessightofFinchandDominic
backed by supporting officers. She runs and hides in a nearby
office while V orders the television crew to run a video on the
emergency broadcast system, allowing his message to play on
every TV in London. He addresses the general populous and
introduces the fact that there is something wrong with the
country.Heencouragespeopletospeakaboutthetruthsofcruelty
andinjusticeandputsawaythefearthat,heexplainsquitefrankly,
puttheminthissituationinthefirstplace.Vadmitstoblowingup
theOldBailey,explainingthathesoughttoendoppressionwhere
freedomshouldstandandinvitesallofLondontojoinhiminone
yearinfrontofParliamentwherehepromisestogivethemafifth
ofNovemberthatwillneverbeforgot.
s the broadcast ends, Dascomb grabs a small video cameraand
A
followsthepolicetothestudiowheretheymanagetobreakdown
the door. Heavy fog obscures the room and a dark figure runs
towardsthepolice.Theyshoottheman,whoiswearingaFawkes
mask, but discover that he's an employee who explains that
everyone in the room was given the costumes to wear. Finch
orderseveryoneonthegroundasheandtheotherofficersgoto
the control room where V left his bomb wired to the control
system. Dascombattemptstodisarmthebombandissuccessful.
TwomeninFawkesmasksfalloutofanelevatorattheotherend
ofthefloorinfrontoftwoofficersandthefirstfigurescreamsthat
theotheris'him'.However,asoneofficerpullsoffthemasktofind
i t'sFred,therealVstandsbehindthemanddispatchestheofficers
withhiddenknives.Fredpassesout.Vgoestoleavebutisstopped
byDominicwhofailstoseeEveysneakupbehindhim.Shetapshis
shoulder and maces him before he blindly hits her with his gun,
rendering her unconscious. V knocks Dominic out and stops to
contemplateEvey.
bruisedbutaliveDominicwatchesthesurveillancetapeslateron
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with Finch who watches as V looks at Evey. He comments that
Evey is with him now,forbetterorworse.Meanwhile,footageof
the police raid on the station is broadcast with claims that the
terroristwaspresumablyshotandkilled,muchtothedisbeliefof
onebespectacledgirl(B
illieCook).
veywakesupinabedthatisnotherownandfollowsthesound
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of music coming from an old jukeboxinsideanenclosedfoyer.V
appearsbehindherandexplainsthat,sinceshesavedhimbutwas
unconscious, he made the decision to carry her to his lair, the
Shadow Gallery, a place filledwithvariousbitsofartandculture
thathadpreviouslybeenconfiscatedbyNorsefire.Eveythankshim
andaskstobereleasedbutVtellshershemuststayhereuntilhis
goaltodestroyParliamentiscompletedinayear'stime,otherwise
she would be quickly captured and forced to give information
about V. Naturally upsetbyherforcedcontainment,Eveyrunsto
herroom.Muchlater,Eveyconcedestoleavingherroomandshe
finds V in thekitchencookingeggs.Heservesherandpoursher
tea while acknowledging hissincerityinthevideohesentacross
London. HeplanstodestroyParliament,notjusttobringdowna
building, but to instill a very powerful idea in the British people
and to impress that their government should be afraid of them,
insteadoftheotherwayaround.
ome time later we see Prothero showering in his home while
S
watching one of his own broadcasts, repeating every word with
vigor ashedenouncestheterroristasacoward.Vsilentlyenters
his loft with Evey's ID card and confronts Prothero as he comes
outoftheshower.WhenVaddresseshimascommander,Prothero
suddenly recognizes him. Later, Finch and other officers
investigate Prothero's loft where his body lies on the bathroom
tiles, vomit beside him and a rose across his chest. During
research, Finch finds out that Prothero was a very wealthy man
well before his broadcasting show andusedtobeacommanding
officeratLarkhill,anowabandonedgovernmentfacility.
ackintheShadowGallery,afteraplayaboutwithasuitofarmor,
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VinvitesEveytowatch TheCountofMonteCristo(1934)withhim,
a film about love and revenge. After the film, Evey catches a
glimpse of the news where the death of Prothero is announced.
Suspicious, Evey questions V who admits that he killed Prothero
and plans to kill others for justice, though everyone doesn't
understandhismotives.Shakenbythis,sheresolvestoescapeV's
lair.Todoso,sheoffersherassistanceandsomebackstorytoher
life.Sheexplainsthatherparentsbothprotestedthegovernment
followingthedeathofherlittlebrotherduetoadeadlyvirusleak
athisschool.Shewasyoungbutrememberstheriotsandprotests
and how her parents were taken from her in the middle of the
night, black bags forced over their heads. She was sent to a
juveniledetentioncenterbutneverforgotthelessonsherparents
taughther.Inspiredbythis,Vagreestoletherhelpandcomesup
withaplanforhisnextvictim.
ishopAnthonyLilliman(JohnStanding)walksthroughhischurch
B
andismetbyapagewhotellshimhislatest'guest'hasarrivedbut
is older than expected. Lilliman walks to his room where Evey,
dressed as a young girl, is waiting for him. While V scales the
r ooftops,EveyattemptstowarnLillimanofthedangerhe'sin,but
thebishopthinksthatherstoryispartofanactandtriestohave
sex with her, forcing her down on the bed. She manages to kick
him off her, resulting in a slew of un-priestly curses from him,
before V enters the room. Evey apologizes and runs offbeforeV
assaults Lilliman, promising no mercy. A nearby surveillance van
picksuptheaudioconversationbetweenLillimanandVandcalls
dispatch. Finch arrives shortly to find Lilliman dead, also having
vomited and with a rose on his body, before Creedyarriveswith
his own special force. He puts Finchundersurveillance,claiming
thattheextraprecautionsareneededsinceacoupleofrespected
partymembershavebeenslainandarguesthatFinchputaholdon
hisinvestigationssurroundingtheterrorist'slinkwiththevictims.
vey finds sanctuary with her boss, Gordon Deitritch (S
E tephen
Fry), whom she had been going to see the night she met V. He
allows her to stay with him and, as a sign of trust, shows her a
hiddenroombehindhiswinecabinet.There,herevealsacopyof
theKoranamidphotographsofhomoeroticsceneswithmuscular
men. He admits to being, like her,afugitiveandexplainsthathe
hides his trueselfinplainsightontelevisionandbyentertaining
young women like Evey within theprivacyofhishome.Thenext
morning, he coincidentally makes Evey the same breakfast V
servedherwhileshewasintheShadowGallery.Gordonfindsthe
coincidencefunnyandquipsthatonlythethingsthatmattermost
shouldbeconsideredwithsuchhumor.
inch continues his investigation unabated with Dominic and
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focuseshisattentiononLarkhill,therecordsofwhichprovetobe
stubborninrevealingmuchinformation.HedoesfindthatLilliman
was also stationed there as a priest forenemiesofthestatethat
were confined there. Out of the list of high ranking officials left
alive, Finch finds just one; a woman who worked as a chemist,
a lthough her name is unavailable. He then goes to seeacoroner
named Delia Surridge (S inéad Cusack) and presents her with the
flowerthathefoundonLilliman.Deliarecognizestheflowerasa
Scarlet Carson, thought to be extinct, but admits that she can't
offeranyotherinformation.WhenFinchreturnstoheadquarters,
Dominicinformshimthathe'sfoundoutwhothemysterywoman
is; Delia. Shocked, having just seen her, Finch leaves,hopinghe's
nottoolate.
elia wakes in her bed and speaks to the shadows in her room,
D
asking if he's come to kill her. V appears and responds yes, to
Delia's relief. She converses with V, admitting fault in what
happenedtohimbutdefendingherintentions,whichwereforthe
best.ThoughVtellsherhecannotallowhertolive,herevealsto
havegivenheraquickinjectionwhilesheslept,providinganeasy
and painless death. Delia apologizes and succumbs peacefully
moments before Finch arrives to find her in bed with a Scarlet
Carsoninherhandandasmallrednotebookonherbedsidetable.
inchpresentsthenotebooktoSutlerwhodismissesthecontents
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as either propaganda written by the terrorist or the ravings of a
delusional ex-party member. Sutler advises Finchtoforgetabout
the journal, but Finch can't help but recall what he read. The
notebookwasadiaryofDelia'sandchronicledherstartatLarkhill
20 years prior asamedicinalchemist.Shewriteshowshetested
virulentdrugsonvagrantsanddeviantsofsocietywhoshefound
herself despising because of their pathetic disposition. She
mentionedworkingalongsidebothProtheroandLilliman.Alltests
onsubjectsprovedfatalexceptinthecaseofonemanwhoresided
in room five. In his case, though he had a near complete loss of
memory,hedevelopedquickreflexesandstrength.OnNovember
fifth, the laboratory wheresheworkedexplodedviolentlyand,as
s heescapedthecompound,sawthemanfromroomfive,horribly
burntandroaringinanger.
vey,meanwhile,sharesaneveningwithGordonasheshowsher
E
the premiere of a new show he wrote that morning and
uncensored by the department. She gulps her champagneasshe
watches Gordon welcome Chancellor Sutler (an actor
impersonator,astherealSutlerwatchesfromhisownhome)tohis
studio while armed soldiers holdshotgunstowardstheaudience,
promptingthemtoapplaud.Sutlerisofferedaglassofwarmmilk
in reference to therealSutler'shabitofdrinkingoneeverynight
(we see this is indeed true). A hilarious skit ensues as an actor
dressed as V ties Sutler's shoelaces together while he calmly
assures everyone that the terrorist has been neutralized. Upon
discovering V trying to blend inthestudioband,Sutlerstumbles
onhisfeetandacomedicchaseprogressesacrossthestagetothe
soundofYaketySax.Finally,SutlergrabsholdofVandremoveshis
masktorevealanotherSutlercopywhosaysthathe'stherealone.
Theybothorderthesoldierstoopenfireandareshotdownwhile
theaudiencelaughsandtherealSutlerbreakshisglassinfury.
hileEveyisworriedthatGordonwillfacesevererepercussions,
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heisoptimisticandtellshernottofret.However,thatnight,Evey
awakes to glass breaking asGordonrushesintoherroom,telling
hertohide.Shegetsunderherbed(mirroringthescenariowhen
her parents were takenfromher)asthebedroomdoorisbroken
down. Creedy enters with soldiers and they beat and restrain
Gordon, placing a black bag over his head and taking him away.
Eveymanagestoclimboutthewindowdowntothebackyard,but
she isapprehendedandblack-baggedjustbeforeshecanescape.
When the bag is removed, she finds herself in an interrogation
room with a government official hidden in darkness asking her
aboutthelocationoftheterrorist.Whensheisunabletoanswer,
s heis'processed'.Herheadisshavenandsheistorturedandgiven
rotten foodwhilekeptinasmallcell.Oneday,shehearsarustle
frominsideoneofthesidewallsanddiscoversasmallnotewritten
ontoiletpaper.Sheusesthelightcomingfromunderthedoorto
readthenotefromawomannamedValeriewhotellsabriefstory
of her life and how she wound up confined. Valerie (young
- ImogenPootsolder- NatashaWightman)describeshowshefirst
fellinlovewithagirlinherclassnamedSarah(LauraGreenwood)
andwhenshewasdisownedbyherparentsforbeingalesbian.She
mettheloveofherlife,Ruth(M aryStockley),whileactinginafilm
and they moved to London together as America's war worsened
and the government began to change. Fear and persecution
against anyone unworthyinSutler'smind,includinghomosexuals
andMuslims,ledtotheirdetainment.Ruthwastakenawayshortly
before Valerie was. She ends hernotebyofferingsomesolacein
the fact that, while her life may be taken,shewillstillretainher
integrity as a human being and tells the reader that, though she
doesnotknowthem,shelovesthem.
earfullyinspired,Eveyisonceagainbroughttotheinterrogation
T
roomwheresherefusestocooperate,despitethreatsofdeath.She
is returned to her cell to await execution. An official arrives and
asks Evey to give just one bit of information to saveherlife,but
Eveysaysshe'dratherdie.Themanthentellsherthatshenowhas
nofearandiscompletelyfreebeforeleaving.Confused,Eveygets
toherfeetandwalksouttheopendoor.Shegoesdownacorridor
and turns a corner to see that she is in none other than the
ShadowGallery.Vappearsbeforeherandexplainsthathewasthe
onetobringherhereandthatGordonwasunfortunatelyexecuted
oncethepolicefoundthehiddenroombehindthewinecabinet.V
tellsherthat,whileherimprisonmentwasafarce,itwastobring
outinEveywhatVexperienced;toallowhertoletgooffearand
hateandrealizethatthere'ssomethingmoreimportantthaneven
erlife.Eveyangrilyretorts,claimingtheinabilitytofeelanything
h
anymore and collapses to the ground, short of breath. V catches
her and comforts her, asking her to remember the atrocities
committed against her and her family and recall what she felt
whenshesaidshe'dratherdiethangivein.ButEveybegstobelet
outside, feeling faint. V takes her to the roof where it is raining.
Beforehecancoverherwithablanket,Eveystepsoutintotherain
andraisesherarms,laughinginamomentofpurerelease,justas
Voncedid.
ack in the Gallery, Evey tellsVthatshecannolongerstaywith
B
him and, now that she fears nothing, will return to the outside
world to take her chances. She motions to give V the note she
found,thinkinghewroteit,butheshowsherashrinesurrounded
byscarletcarsonswithValerie'sphotoaboveit.HetellsEveythat
thenotewasdeliveredtohimasitwastoherandthatValeriedied
in Larkhill where he was also kept. He maintains his vindication
thatwhatwasdonetohimmustberepaid.EveyapproachesVand
thanks him before agreeing to his request to visit one last time
before the fifth. She then leaves. V returns to his room and
removes his mask, throwing it against the vanity mirror and
breakingdownintears.
tanelitemeetingwiththepartymembers,Sutlerremindsthem
A
that their inadequacies are mounting, especially thoseofCreedy,
in the attempt to apprehend and stop the terrorist. He issues
stricter curfews and harsher surveillance on civilians who, he is
angered to hear, converse regularly about the terrorist and how
theybelieveheisstillalive.
inchiscontactedbyamysteriousmannamedWilliamRookwood
F
who promises to give him invaluable information regarding his
investigation. Intrigued and having come to his own
redispositions about the shady goings on of the government,
p
Finchgoesouttomeethiminasecludedlot.Rookwoodtellshim
oftheoriginsofAdamSutlerwhocameintohisownbystartinghis
own party that gained recognition by divulging in tests for
biological weapons in the name of national security. From the
blood of one of their victims (namely, V, which explains his
determinationforretribution;hefeelstoblame)theywereableto
procure a deadly virus that they secretly released, withstrategic
precision,withintheirowncountry;insideaschool,atubestation,
andawater-treatmentplantformaximumeffect.Naturally,when
thepublicpanickedandwentinsearchofasavior,theveryparty
that released the virus is the one to magically provide a cure.In
return, they gained power, using fear and scapegoats out of
political extremists to justify their cause and to blame the initial
virus on. Rookwood then advises Finch to put surveillance on
CreedysothatRookwoodmayfeelconfidenttoshowhimselfagain
and prove all he's said to the inspector. Finch hesitantly agrees.
However, he is infuriated later when he discovers that the
character of Rookwood has actually been dead for quite some
time;itwasVindisguiseallalong.Finchgoesbacktohisprevious
investigationwhileCreedyremainsundersupervision.
visits Creedy in his home, playing loud music so that their
V
conversationcannotbetapedandoffersCreedyaproposition.He
tellshimthat,oncehedestroysParliament,Sutlerwillhavenouse
for Creedy and will offer him up as someonetoblame.IfCreedy
givesSutlertoV,Creedy'spositionwillbesuddenlypromotedand
hewillhaveVtodealwithashechooses.
s thefifthofNovembernears,thousandsofcratesaredelivered
A
throughout London, including to Finch. He opens the box to
discoveracostumewithablackcloak,hat,andFawkesmask.The
littlebespectacledgirlseenearlierproudlywearshercostumeon
t hestreetsbutSutlerdecreesthatanyoneseenwearingthemwill
be arrested on site. Finch speaks with Dominic in private,
speculating that what follows will be what V wanted all along;
complete and utter chaos. Everything is part of a plan; a grand
scheme that was putintoeffectbeforethegovernmenthadeven
fully formed, even before Larkhill. And when someone does
something stupid, everything will fall apart. This speculation is
metaphorically shown as die falling into place within a large
arrangement that V sets up on the floor of his gallery, all while
citizensacrossLondonbegintoriot.Thebespectacledgirlisshot
down by a fingerman in hercostumeand,thoughhedisplayshis
Norsefirebadgetoenragedadults,heismercilesslybeaten.
he Norsefire party convenes for the last time in front of Sutler
T
where he fumes over their inability to capture the terrorist. He
proclaims that, should anything happen to Parliament, the only
thing that will change will be that he reads Creedy's resignation
thefollowingmorninginsteadofthenewspaper.Hethendemands,
amidclaimsthatrecordarrestsarebeingmade,thatthecitizensof
thenationneedtoberemindedofwhytheyneedthegovernment.
veyreturnstotheShadowGalleryontheeveofthefifthwhereV
E
ismusingoverhismusic.Headmitsthatheneverexpectedtosee
heragainandaskshertodance.Sheaskstoseehisface,sinceshe
stillknowsnearlynothingabouthim,butheaffirmsthattheface
he has is not who he really is. Hethensayshehassomethingto
giveherandleadsheroutofthegallerytoanabandonedsubway
tunnel beneath the building. There sits a train filled with
explosives which V says will course along its track straight to
Parliament, as long asEvey decides it should. V says that the
decisiontomoveforwardshouldbethepeople'stomake,nothis.
Hewill,meanwhile,gomeethisfate.Eveybegshimtostay,kissing
him,buthesolemnlyrefusesanddisappearsdownthetunnel.
hileVheadstoadarksectionundergroundtomeetCreedywith
W
hismosttrustedsoldiers,Sutlergivesaspeechontheemergency
broadcast system throughout London, urging people to stay in
their homes and vowing swift justice against anyone caught
outside past curfew. However, each room and venue the speech
playstoisvoidofanaudience.VappearstoCreedywhohasheld
his end of the bargain; Sutler, bound and black-bagged on his
knees. V places a scarlet Carson in Sutler's lapel before Creedy
shoots him in the head. Creedy then demands thatVremovehis
mask.WhenVrefuses,Creedyordershismentoopenfire.Vishit
by a barrage of bullets but composes himself. Herushesforward
withhisknives,killingeachsoldierbeforetheycanreload.Creedy
shootsVmultipletimes,wonderingaloudwhyhewon'tdie,before
V tells him that beneath his mask is more than flesh; "there's an
idea,andideasarebullet-proof".VputshishandsaroundCreedy's
neckandbreaksitswiftlybeforestaggeringbackdownthetunnel.
He removes a large metal chest plate, having saved himself from
immediate death, but continues to bleed profusely from other
wounds.
vey waits for himbackbythetrain,contemplatingwhathetold
E
her, ashereturns,collapsingtotheground.Shetakeshiminher
arms and he tells her that he 'is done and finished' before
confessingtohavingfalleninlovewithheraftersomanyyearsof
living with nothing but revenge as the reason for his existence.
Evey tells himshedoesn'twanthimtodie,towhichhesaysthat
that's the most beautiful thing she could have given him, before
dying.
eanwhile, armed guards surround Parliament but cannot getin
M
touch with anyone of authority. Soon,theyseeamassivemobof
people walking towards them, all clad in Fawkes costumes.
ithoutavoicetogiveorders,theyareforcedtoputdowntheir
W
weapons and allow the people to walk pastthem.Finchfindshis
way into the subway and discovers Evey at the controls of the
train.ShehadplacedVonabenchinsidethetrain,armscrossed
andcoveredinroses.ShetellsFinchthatthecountryneedsmore
thanabuildingnow;itneedshope,asshepullstheleverandsteps
outofthetrain.Asthecarmovesforward,sheleadsFinchtothe
roofwheretheyhaveaclearviewofParliament.Infrontofthem,
and all the people convened, Parliament explodes in a radiant
displaytoTchaikovsky'sOverture.FinchaskswhoVwas.Eveysays
that he was her brother, father,mother,andfriend."Hewasyou,
and he was me. He was all of us", setting in her words that V
representedthewholecountry,finallystrongenoughtotakeback
its freedom. The citizens in front of Parliament remove their
masks,revealingGordon,Ruth,Valerie,thebespectacledgirl,and
allthosewhodreamedoffreedomandfinallyreceivedit.
veygivesaclosingnarration,stating"noonewilleverforgetthat
E
night,andwhatitmeantforthecountry.ButIwillneverforgetthe
man,andwhathemeantforme."asseveralredfireworkslaunchin
aVformation,symbolizingthemanwhogavethatcountryhope.
Thescreenfadestoblackandcreditsroll.
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