Directed by:
Barry LevinsonScreenplay:
Chris ColumbusCinematography:
Stephen GoldblattComposer:
Bruce BroughtonCast:
Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox, Sophie Ward, Anthony Higgins, Susan Fleetwood, Freddie Jones, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Brian Oulton, Walter Sparrow, Nadim Sawalha (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
This fantasy mystery presents an unusual youth-oriented angle on the Sherlock Holmes legend, depicting the meeting of Holmes and Watson (not yet a Doctor) during boarding school. The two become fast friends and soon find themselves investigating a series of mysterious murders connected to a dangerous religious cult. (official distributor synopsis)
Reviews (6)
It’s so smart, entertaining and at times tense that not even Master Doyle himself could find anything to reproach. One of the most sophisticated and best adventure films for children that blends classic Amblin’s motifs with the famous detective that isn’t too far from Indiana Jones (the similarities with Temple of Doom cannot be coincidence), and with beautiful ground-breaking special effects and great music. The outcome of the love line was not a pleasant surprise (though it was reasonable considering Sherlock’s nature later in life) and the identity of the villain can be guessed too soon, but that feeling of Victorian adventure is wonderful. 85%
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Wingardium levio… Ehm, elementary. It is more than paradoxical that Columbus was implicated in a significantly better adaptation of Harry Potter movies than when he was responsible for their regular film adaptations. From the appearance of the characters through the course to the atmosphere, music and style. A decade before the release of the Philosopher's Stone. Otherwise, it's exactly the children's adventurous ride that one would expect from a production from the Amblin´s team, which also magnificently captures the essence of the undetective Holmes stories. If you want to complain about something, then perhaps just a terribly annoying (all the more unnecessary) story of old Watson and the finale, which, despite the emotions and tangible danger compared to the rest of the film, does not work that smoothly.
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When I see that the year of making is from the middle of the 1980s and it features names like Barry Levinson, Chris Columbus, and Steven Spielberg, whether I want to or not, I have to be alert. It probably can be no other way. It’s a shame, though, that young Sherlock and the future Dr. Watson were such rookies that it was sometimes very difficult to plow through the 1980s feel. And that is despite the fact that under different circumstances, I really like it in movies. But the problem probably lies in the fact that I didn’t see this movie as a child and only saw it as an adult for the first time. In that instance, the whole premise has a completely different significance and even though it has the names of those creators written under it, it is sometimes difficult to get used to the pretty obvious naivety, which really doesn’t bring you joy while watching. But it is undoubtedly well shot. If it was a better and more exciting story, I wouldn’t be afraid to say that Chris Columbus already knew in the 1980s how to make a Harry Potter movie, whom the world hadn’t even known yet. The similarity of the atmosphere and the locations is truly remarkable.
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I can't help but just not like the whole idea. If I agreed to play the game, did John Watson have to be there? It doesn't make much sense in terms of mythology. Overall, it just bothered me to take this story as something from which Holmes' behavior subsequently stems. It must be admitted, however, that the beginning, for example, is impressive when it comes to the special effects.
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Harry Potter. Without the magic and the brooms. Holmes must have been an inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s stories about our well-known sorcerer. After all, even Watson resembles a small, if chubbier, Radcliffe. But back to Holmes. The story is thrilling, if a little predictable, and will leave you breathless. The special effects by ILM are very high quality (the glass knight is the first completely computer generated character ever) and the hallucinogenic scenes are quite respectable to this day. From an acting point of view, I have nothing to complain about, and the music (especially the chants in the pyramid) stirred my heart. Holmes is like a long-lost gem of the adventure movie genre, and I'm glad it finally found his way to me. P.S. The post-credits scene is really worth it. :-)
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