D.Moore

True, it is not a revolutionary adventure, but I do not think it deserves such harsh criticism. The film is spoiled mainly by the fact that the filmmakers once again didn't know the level and needed to film, for example, jumping on a train or the finale with a herd of digital animals... But they probably didn't even think that more than such unnecessary and not very well done scenes, the viewer would be interested in at least a somewhat thrilling final duel of man against man, during which we could worry just a little bit about the main character or his damsel in distress. Oh well. At least the first hour was pretty good to watch, the wooden Tarzan was actually likable, Samuel L. Jackson amused me here and there, and Gregson-Williams' music was a pleasant surprise.

The atmosphere is priceless, it’s so suspenseful that at times it becomes almost horror. Not that this has prevented Holmes from the obvious enthusiasm with which he sets about his investigation.

I am very fond of the impatient Holmes, who first shouts at a man who is unable to say anything useful, only to look at him in silence and ask further questions just by moving his eyebrows. This case is really brilliant, and not only because of that.

The cases that are not exactly about the search for a sinister murderer are in my opinion the ones that make Holmes who he is. They show him as a capable investigator who is admirably dogged in his pursuit of something that intrigues him, and in doing so helps a man in need, and this film episode captures it all perfectly.

The revelation this time isn't surprising or dramatic, but I still love that the creators chose these somewhat neglected, but not uninteresting, cases to start the series. Holmes is on the move from start to finish (my suspicion that it was Brett's concept that inspired Benedict Cumberbatch the most is getting stronger and stronger), thinking hard and clearly enjoying it, with Watson getting more and more involved with each episode.

The war was (still) at its worst in 1943, it was rocking the world, and it wasn't going to let up, so Ray Harryhausen, very rightly in my opinion, decided to make a propaganda reconstruction of the Battle of Guadalcanal using only models of military vehicles and aircraft - you won't see a single real or puppet soldier in it. Even so, it is very impressive and quite rich in information.

An excellent case, mysterious, suspenseful and perhaps one could even say action-packed. Something tells me I'll soon be one of those people who can't get enough of Brett’s Sherlock. Again, Watson did not accomplish much, but it was still evident that he was very important to Holmes in his thinking and whispering advice during the questioning of the witnesses.

An anarchist fairy tale, actually a pure parody of the story of Goldilocks, which is spoiled only by a prolonged, fatal and unfortunately deadly serious ending. Until then, however, it is a unique piece of work that mixes anything with everything and doesn't really care, because it allows the characters, for example, to speak naturally in contemporary language and to do things that are definitely not appropriate at other times. The spunky hippie princess amused me immensely, as did the gestapo leather coats of the evil prince's steampunk henchmen, the talking beast, or the other princesses entertaining pirates in a way their husbands might not have liked. I have absolutely no idea what such a thing was doing on TV in prime time on Christmas Day and what the consequences will be for the children who saw it, but I was madly amused. And lest I forget, it had great music.

Bud Spencer and Terence Hill certainly have better, but also worse movies. I'm for the Hippopotamus is a better average with a few memorable scenes, of which I personally most like the unconventional final fight, which is not a group fight, but rather a one-on-one fight - and that one is Bud Spencer.

A spoof that would have done better to focus on just one story line (ideally the quest for the Treasure of Kings, as The Hollow Needle is very well done), drop the others from the story, and most importantly, make it at least half an hour shorter. Unlike the rest of the audience I didn't mind Lupin's performance, Eva Green and Kristin Scott Thomas were also nice to see and the direction was quite effective, but it just couldn't save everything. Mainly the extremely drawn out ending almost killed me. Yes, the books are rubbish in their own way too, but at least they know it.