← Back to Reviews
in
Holmes and Watson (2018)
Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly reunite onscreen for the first time in a decade for Holmes and Watson, a lavishly mounted 2018 comic re-thinking of the Arthur Conan Doyle characters that provides pretty consistent laughs but doesn't quite come together as a satisfying film experience.
As we meet Holmes (Will Ferrell) and Watson (Reilly), they have just completed work on a case that secured the freedom of Professor Moriarty (Ralph Fiennes). They are then visited by Queen Victoria who commissions them to protect her when she receives a death threat from Moriarty. Since our boys our acquainted with Moriarty, the Queen feels they are the only ones who can protect her from him.
Director and screenwriter Etan Cohen, who was one of the screenwriters on Tropic Thunder has mounted an elaborate comic valentine to the literary and cinema icons that shows respect for the iconic characters but also manages to create a story around them that effectively mines laughs from the literary legends that consistently bend the 4th wall without breaking it. Cohen's screenplay also cleverly reveals more than a passing resemblance between this Holmes and Watson and Ricky and Cal in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, one of Ferrell and Reilly's first collaborations. This Watson has always felt unappreciated and lost in Homes' shadow and as they begin this case, Watson asks for a new title of "co-detective."
Cohen must also be applauded for the first rate production values employed here that greatly aid in the authenticity of what we're seeing, which makes the lampooning of what we're seeing even funnier. The film features stunning cinematography, film editing, costumes, and the music even includes a totally unexpected musical number during the final act that is a complete winner. Sadly, the story takes us to an odd place in the final act and we have to wait a little too long for it to iron out, but it's a pretty clever wrap that makes up for the occasional slow spot.
It's hard to believe that it's been a decade since Ferrell and Reilly did Step Brothers because their work here appears as if they had been working with no one but each other for that entire decade. I especially loved the scene where they meet Queen Victoria for the first time and the scene where they think they've accidentally killed her. It's obvious Cohen gave his stars a little space here and we get comic gold. Fiennes made a great Moriarty and I loved Pam Ferris as the stone-faced Queen Victoria. And if you pay attention, you'll also catch cameos from Hugh Laurie and Billy Zane. If you liked Talladega Nights, you'll like this too.
Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly reunite onscreen for the first time in a decade for Holmes and Watson, a lavishly mounted 2018 comic re-thinking of the Arthur Conan Doyle characters that provides pretty consistent laughs but doesn't quite come together as a satisfying film experience.
As we meet Holmes (Will Ferrell) and Watson (Reilly), they have just completed work on a case that secured the freedom of Professor Moriarty (Ralph Fiennes). They are then visited by Queen Victoria who commissions them to protect her when she receives a death threat from Moriarty. Since our boys our acquainted with Moriarty, the Queen feels they are the only ones who can protect her from him.
Director and screenwriter Etan Cohen, who was one of the screenwriters on Tropic Thunder has mounted an elaborate comic valentine to the literary and cinema icons that shows respect for the iconic characters but also manages to create a story around them that effectively mines laughs from the literary legends that consistently bend the 4th wall without breaking it. Cohen's screenplay also cleverly reveals more than a passing resemblance between this Holmes and Watson and Ricky and Cal in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, one of Ferrell and Reilly's first collaborations. This Watson has always felt unappreciated and lost in Homes' shadow and as they begin this case, Watson asks for a new title of "co-detective."
Cohen must also be applauded for the first rate production values employed here that greatly aid in the authenticity of what we're seeing, which makes the lampooning of what we're seeing even funnier. The film features stunning cinematography, film editing, costumes, and the music even includes a totally unexpected musical number during the final act that is a complete winner. Sadly, the story takes us to an odd place in the final act and we have to wait a little too long for it to iron out, but it's a pretty clever wrap that makes up for the occasional slow spot.
It's hard to believe that it's been a decade since Ferrell and Reilly did Step Brothers because their work here appears as if they had been working with no one but each other for that entire decade. I especially loved the scene where they meet Queen Victoria for the first time and the scene where they think they've accidentally killed her. It's obvious Cohen gave his stars a little space here and we get comic gold. Fiennes made a great Moriarty and I loved Pam Ferris as the stone-faced Queen Victoria. And if you pay attention, you'll also catch cameos from Hugh Laurie and Billy Zane. If you liked Talladega Nights, you'll like this too.