1). Cell Phones: One aspect of this adaptation of Sherlock Holmes that differs greatly from Arthur Conan Doyle's original is the use of cell phones and their technology. Throughout the movie however, these phones are a key factor on the road to justice. The dead woman's cell phone is also the key factor in solving the crime, because she left the phone with the cabby and scrawled the password to her GPS services on the ground. This up-to-date cell phone technology then leads Sherlock to the murderer, and ultimately wraps up the case. However, not all cell phone use in the movie is centered around the crime. Sherlock is an avid user of his text messaging, weather, and GPS capabilities. This allows him to access a wealth of knowledge with the touch of a button, and the flick of a finger.
2). War: War plays a tremendous part in Dr. Watson's subplot. As an injured war veteran, Watson believes he is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD). This is how we first meet the good doctor. He is sitting in a psychiatrist's office listening to "rubbish" about his mental stability and how much damage the war had on him. At this point, Watson has a distinct limp and hands that constantly tremble. We learn however, that the answer to his problems may not be PTSD but something simpler: he misses war. After Sherlocks profound deduction, Watson struggles with the validity of his statement. The viewer struggles as well with this new possibility. In the end, it's Watson who proves Sherlock to be completely true. When faced with the possibility of capturing the "killer" in the cab, Watson completely forgets his cane (and his limp) whilst on the battlefield. He also shoots the cabby with a very risky shot, which the medical examiner on scene claims was done with "a hand that did not shake".
3). Further education: This important setting from the end of the movie, has the greatest symbolic existence. After the cabby picks Sherlock up from his home at 221B Baker Street, he takes him to a further education facility in London. This setting winds up being a "play" on both character's motives for being in the cab. The cab driver plans to reveal to Sherlock what it is that he said to the 5 "suicidal" individuals to get them to poison themselves, therefore further educating Sherlock to the genius behind his plan.In turn, Sherlock plans to further his own, as well as the cabby's, education by trying to find the cabby out and put an end to his sick plan. However, it turns out to be a game in which Sherlock plans to win. After the cabby present the challenge of the two identical pills, Sherlock plans to show him how a real genius works. Both characters, in a sense, plan to further educate each other wether it's in the science of deduction or the thrill of murder.
4). Death: It almost seems humorous to include this motif, since "A Study in Pink" is a murder mystery. Therein lies the beauty; death is the driving force. Obviously, if there were no victims there would be no crime. Therefore, Sherlock would have no connection with these people at all. The death of the woman in pink is the 5th in a string of "serial suicides". These repetitive deaths set up the tone and backbone of the story before any real action ever begins. Therefore, death is the catalyst in the impending domino effect in this movie.
5). Light: Although the movie is based solely in London, it almost feels as though it's Forks, Washington from the "Twilight" series (gag). This is thanks to the ever-present clouds that cast a complete dreary feeling across London for the duration of the film. Thanks to this there is never any "true" light present. Due to this lack of light, the viewer automatically knows that this story isn't a happy one. Murder never is, dearie. It is also symbolically representative of Sherlock's stand-point throughout the case as a whole. He is always only one step behind, and therefore never fully exposed to the "light". Slightly enshadowed, if you will. This is where those clouds come in. Since most of them cover the sun, the whole city is then in shadows to symbolically reflect Sherlock's personal lack.
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