Quartile rating: 4/10 · 1 rating
Detective Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson join forces to investigate a mysterious murder at Buckingham Palace. It seems like an open-and-shut case as all signs point to Professor James Moriarty, the criminal mastermind and longtime nemesis of the crime-solving duo. When new twists and clues begin to emerge, the world's greatest sleuth and his trusted assistant must now use their legendary wits and ingenious methods to catch the killer as they only have four days before the queen becomes the next victim.
Holmes & Watson is widely regarded as one of the worst comedies in recent memory. The plot is thin, meandering, and fails to deliver either satisfying mystery or effective comedy. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, despite their proven chemistry elsewhere, seem lost in a script that offers them almost nothing to work with — their performances feel desperate rather than inspired. Cinematography is generic and unremarkable, serviceable at best for a studio comedy. Novelty is extremely low: the film adds nothing distinctive to the Sherlock Holmes canon and retreads tired comedic territory without a fresh angle or genuine comedic voice. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying, failing to pay off either the mystery or the comedic premise. A rare across-the-board disappointment.