When you make a movie based on beloved classical fictional characters such as Holmes & Watson, expectations are sure to follow. Had this movie used been made NOT based on these two legendary characters, I believe people would have reviewed it more favourably.

I've read all the books, watched all the DVDs I can get my hands own, and have studied the various interpretations of Holmes & Watson on-screen & on-stage and I was hoping that the success of this movie would trigger a resurrection of interest in the original Conan Doyle stories, perhaps an introduction of the original stories to a newer generation (i.e. similar to a Harry Potter or Twilight).

However, in wanting to appeal to a modern movie-viewing audience I think the movie failed on many counts -- not glitzy & exciting enough for modern day movie-go'ers new to Sherlock Holmes and way too off-the-mark with traditional Sherlockians.

If this is your FIRST introduction to Holmes, please do yourself a favour and give Conan Doyle's stories their proper due by renting or borrowing one of the many movies with Jeremy Brett as Holmes. In my opinion, they are the closest to the stories, and they are WONDERFULLY shot & photographed -- and Brett himself throws truly BECOMES Holmes.

The stories themselves stand on their own, more than 100 years later -- that cannot be said of this horrible movie rendition.