The new Sherlock Holmes delightfully mixes action, supernatural occurrences and, of course, iconic characters.

The film’s plot, which ends up getting overwhelmed by action sequences, follows the famous duo, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), as they combat the murderous Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), who has risen from the grave. Holmes’ ability to deduce so much information from very little prior knowledge contributes to quite a ride for the audience as the plot twists.

Downey brings his signature bad boy charm to Holmes, putting a new spin on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective. Law provides a largely unremarkable performance as Watson as he spends most of the film trying to keep Holmes out of too much trouble. Rachel McAdams’ performance as Irene Adler, a beautiful American criminal and Holmes’ love interest, adds some spice to the film. One usually does not see such strong female characters in films set in Victorian London.

One visually stunning shot of the film shows a London street upside down that rolls like a wave until the viewer sees the street right side up. The use of a dull color palette throughout the movie mirrors the somber tone of the plot.

The film lives up to its PG-13 rating for intense sequences of violence and action, along with some startling images throughout. In several scenes, Holmes shows off his boxing and martial art expertise by incapacitating and bloodying up his opponents. One particularly gruesome scene shows an axe hacking open pig carcasses. Sherlock Holmes is not a movie to attend with children.

However, for those older than 13 who do not mind a little violence, go see Sherlock Holmes and prepare for quite an experience.