Sherlock Holmes and the Shadow Watchers

I loved the story line! This was a brand-new story, not written by Conan Doyle. The script needs a little more work though to make the lines flow better. There seems to be an error in the number of murders that were done prior to the one in the opening scene. At one point, it said there were two, at another point, it said three. I would like to have seen more deduction in the story rather than explaining afterward.

The first scene was so badly done that I almost turned it off, but I'm glad I resisted that urge and watched the whole thing.

If I were reviewing this with professional actors, I would be rather cruel about the acting, but since they are not professionals, the performances were reasonable. In the beginning Holmes was overacting and his eyes certainly got too big in one early scene, but he got somewhat better as the story went on. I really wish they had dubbed in the violin music; it was bad. Dr. Watson's performance was great! The newspaper man was very good, and his lover was also good. I did not like LaStrade's accent at all; it was very distracting. Everyone needs more experience in acting on camera. Many of them would be fine on the local stage, but the camera is unforgiving because it records every little thing.

The murder in the first scene continues for much too long and is rather ridiculous on the overacted knife scene in the shadows. The camera work in that first scene is also very much overdone in looking up at the watchers. After that, the camera work gets better.

I am glad I watched this. Those who expect perfection should not watch it, but those who love new Holmes stories should definitely see it.

Suzy Oliver