Simply Perfect

Admirable film.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

The acting in this movie is really good.

If Indiana Jones met Sherlock Holmes, this is the movie you'd get. There's shades of Spielberg's and Lucas's "Temple of Doom" movie in here, and the film has that Spielberg gloss.There isn't too much sleuthing here so much as old fashioned adventure, but it's a decent Victorian era yarn all the same. You get the sense that Basil Rawthbone would grin if he were alive to see this, as well as mister Doyle--author of all.I seem to recall that this wasn't as big a splash as it might've been when it hit the theatres, but having seen it after all these years I think it holds up.A good action-adventure Sherlock Holmes style. Check it out.

Not a bad film per se, YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES has absolutely nothing to do with the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's instead an American fantasy adventure film that imagines Holmes and Watson in their youthful days at boarding school, where they encounter a sinister Egyptian death cult and must battle to save their loved ones. The film is set in England with that loving depiction of the country that only exists in Hollywood. Of course, in the literary Holmes world, the two characters didn't meet until middle age, so it's best to take the entire thing with a pinch of salt.This is also one of those films that makes no effort to characterise Holmes as a detective either; instead he's a fencing whiz here, an action hero full of intrepidness and courage. Aside from his token introductory scene he does none of his famous detection. Watson is even further away from his literary depiction and the writers of this forget that he was a war hero, instead depicting him as a slightly pudgy, food-loving goofball. I found the actors below par and uninspiring, although at least there are a few distinguished faces in support.The plot is quite ridiculous although it does act as a template for plenty of outlandish moments and action scenes. The use of drugs to cause hallucinations allows for a series of fantasy set-pieces involving a stained glass knight coming to life as well as characters attacked by miniature monsters and the like. The effects are a mix of early CGI and stop motion. Spielberg acted as executive producer and his fingerprints are all over this, with enduring sentimentality and scenes copied from GREMLINS, E.T., and most notably INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. Interestingly, the screenplay was written by Chris Columbus, who used this as a huge inspiration for HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, particularly the look and character of Watson which is near identical to Daniel Radcliffe's Harry in that film.

There is a lot to like and dislike in this ambitious effort by Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus. What I most dislike are the overly vivid hallucinations that the victims of the blow-gun attacks experience. They have a nightmarish quality that borders on that of a horror film, which a Sherlock Holmes movie should never be. I do not object to the blow-gun poison as a plot device, as it is used in the early Fox-Universal films as well--more than once. I must confess that I have seen more than have read most of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and most Sherlock movies are not at all true to A. Conan Doyle's written pages.However, the introduction of characters in this film is brilliant, showing both Holmes and Watson as adolescents. Introducing the headmaster who later assumes the identity of "Moriarity" is beyond belief, yet somehow credible here. In this film, Sherlock loses his first love, Elizabeth, and, at least in the movies, it appears that having Holmes as a love interest leads to a short life-span, just like with the James Bond Girls. Sophie Ward plays Elizabeth, and she is amazingly beautiful, young, and innocent. (This tradition continues even in the new Robert Downey Jr. series.) Note also that this "Moriarity" is not the "Napoleon of Crime" but rather a tall, aristocratic-looking individual. (Anthony Higgins)A most enjoyable film in spite of its excesses, it is more entertaining than it should be. There is a great enthusiasm to the direction, and never a dull moment. My other complaint: While watching the human sacrifice temple scenes, it seems more like an Indiana Jones action movie than a Sherlock Holmes film. Be sure to watch the film, to it's entire conclusion through the ending titles, for a surprise twist.DVD review: The 2010-reissued DVD has no special features at all! Not even a trailer! A sloppy Paramount-DVD transfer with negative scratches and film dust.

This film takes its roots from the stories of the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.It shows Holmes and Watson as young boys. The plot of the movie is based on a mysterious sect of Rame Tep, an ancient Egyptian cult of Osiris worshippers, which Holmes and Watson discover.Full Plot: Teenagers John Watson and Sherlock Holmes meet at the prestigious Brompton Academy. The reticent Watson and intellectual Holmes quickly become good friends as they begin their studies together. Watson also meets Holmes's mentor Rupert T. Waxflatter, a retired schoolmaster and inventor working on a complete self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft. His niece, Elizabeth, is also Holmes's close friend and love interest; Holmes competes for her affections with fellow student Dudley (although she shows a marked preference for Holmes).At the same time, two prominent men, Mr. Bobster and Rev. Nesbitt fall victim to a hallucinogen which drives them to their deaths. Noticing newspaper clippings of their deaths in Waxflatter's office, Holmes starts to notice a connection between them. He takes his suspicions to investigator Mr. Lestrade, only to be rebuffed. Later, Holmes is expelled from the Academy due to Dudley's machinations. Before he leaves, Holmes has one last match with his fencing instructor Professor Rathe; he loses due to being distracted by Rathe's ring. Meanwhile, the mysterious hooded figure responsible for the deaths poisons Waxflatter, driving him to suicide as he fends off imaginary gargoyles. His last words to Holmes are "Eh-Tar."Having been barred from attending Waxflatter's funeral after being expelled from the school in a frame-up by Dudley, Holmes secretly meets with Watson and Elizabeth to discuss the deaths that he determines to be murders. Piecing together the first clues - a jingling sound, a piece of cloth, and a blowpipe -, the three of them discover the existence of Rame Tep, an ancient Egyptian cult of Osiris worshippers. The cult's main weapons were blowpipes, which shot thorns dipped into a solution which caused the victim to experience realistic, nightmare-like hallucinations, driving him to death. Their investigation then leads to a warehouse of Froggit and Froggit, a Wapping-area manufacturer, where they discover a modern-day revival of the Rame Tep cult conducting their service inside a wooden pyramid reconstruction hidden in the warehouse. When they interrupt the ceremonial sacrifice of a young girl, the three are attacked by the worshippers. Only through Holmes's endurance and the intervention of a graveyard caretaker are the three able to survive the hallucinations.The following morning, after being lectured by an angry Mr. LeStrade, Holmes, Elizabeth and Watson continue their investigation. At Waxflatter's loft, Holmes and Watson discover a picture of the three victims and a fourth man, Chester Cragwitch. Unfortunately, Rathe and school nurse Mrs. Dribb catch and separate them, preparing to expel them in the morning. But the three soon escape, and while Elizabeth returns to the loft to salvage her uncle's work, the other two locate Mr. Cragwitch. He explains to them that in his youth, he and the other men discovered a underground pyramid of Rame Tep while planning to build a hotel in Egypt. Their find led to an angry uprising by the local populace which was violently put down by the British Army; one boy, Eh Tar, who along with his sister lost their parents in the uprising, swore revenge. Having been poisoned by the hooded figure, Cragwitch suddenly attacks Holmes, who is saved by Mr. LeStrade.As they are returning to campus, Holmes realizes that Rathe is Eh-Tar. He and Watson return just as Rathe and Dribb leaves with Elizabeth. Using Waxflatter's flying machine, they arrive at the warehouse just in time to prevent Rathe from sacrificing Elizabeth, setting the cult's pyramid temple afire. As Rathe escapes with Elizabeth, Holmes battles Dribb, which results in her death. Meanwhile, Watson successfully thwarts Rathe's escape by stopping his carriage. Rathe then tries to shoot Holmes, but Elizabeth takes the shot instead. Enraged, Holmes duels Rathe and manages to get the better of him when Rathe falls through the frozen Thames. Holmes returns to Elizabeth's side before she dies.Later, as he exchanges goodbyes with Watson, Holmes explains how he figured the identity of Rathe and Dribb, who are actually Eh Tar and his sister, with Watson pointing out that Rathe is Eh-Tar spelled backwards - a clue that Holmes had failed to notice. As Holmes leaves, Watson expresses per voice-over (by his older, adult self reminiscing) that he would long for yet more adventures at Holmes' side.After the closing credits, Rathe is revealed to be alive; he checks himself in an inn as "Moriarty", making him Holmes' arch-nemesis.Written by Chris Columbus (Gremlins, Goonies, Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire) and directed by Barry Levinson (Sphere, Rain Man, Sleepers, Disclosure). The cast includes Nicholas Rowe (as young Sherlock Holmes), Alan Cox (as Watson), Sophie Ward (as Elizabeth Hardy) and Anthony Higgins (as Professor Rathe/Eh-Tar).10/10 points. Very good film that will appeal to even people who have not yet read any of Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes Stories.Excellent family film and a must have for all Sherlock Holmes Fans. A great buy either on DVD or Blu-ray.