My Movie Review on Mr. Holmes · 8:56pm Jan 17th, 2019
What’s up, Kemosabes? AMU back in the house.
Today, I will be reviewing Mr. Holmes.
A fun fact about this review, really, is that this was my very first review in actuality. It was first posted on my personal website, the reason for it not coming yet at the time I was starting to post reviews on this site being because it didn’t feel right to be posting it right around Christmas.
Anyway...
Sherlock Holmes(played by Ian McKellen) is 93 years old, and he is living with his housekeeper, Mrs. Munro(played by Laura Linney), and her son, Roger(played by Milo Parker). He also decides to become a beekeeper during his days of no longer being a detective. Holmes tries to recall what really happened on his final case before his retirement. But with his memory deteriorating, will he be able to recall his last case before he one day passes away?
I would like to say, that before I ever saw this movie, I was very skeptical about it because of the involvement of McKellen. I was never a fan of him, and I was unable to see any of his other movies, such as Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I didn't think any of his movies were good nor did I see why many call him such a great actor. I thought he wasn't even a great actor to begin with (and yes, I am aware that he starred in “Beauty and the Beast (2017)” as the voice of Cogsworth. To be fair though, I saw this film waaaay before seeing the former, and at the time I did see it, I didn’t think his performance was notable).
As it turned out, though (in regard to McKellen), I was wrong.
When I saw this movie with my Mom, I was completely blown away by everything about it.
The acting, characters, and character development were excellent.
McKellen's performance as Sherlock Holmes at the age of 93 and retired was completely splendid. I don't think anyone but him could ever have been able to play him. Seeing him in that movie was amazing. It helped me see why many call him such a great actor, and it helped me gain respect and appreciation for him on his career.
It's remarkable what kinds of talents God bestows upon us all. Even to those who barely know Him.
Also, the story, cinematography, and direction were executed perfectly.
Bill Condon was another reason I was hesitant about seeing this movie because of announcements involving his recent work with Beauty and the Beast.
But his direction with this movie is what I'd like to call the best in his career, and I have to give him credit for the magnificent job he did. The cinematography he gave this movie was one where I felt like I was actually in the time period the story took place which was 1947.
The screenplay of the film was made by Jeffrey Hatcher, and to me, everything about it was original from the moment it began. Even as a story about Sherlock Holmes, it's completely unpredictable, new, fresh, and there's never a dull moment. There is mystery and drama in the film, but it's not intense to the point where you would become uncomfortable in your chair.
This movie, along with Johnny Depp's Finding Neverland, is one that I can't help but favorably compare to that of Gone with the Wind (I think you'll find out why at some point).
Along with it's perfectly executed story, I loved how bees and wasps were incorporated into the film. The way they were included was something that I don't think I have ever seen before, and they were important and part of what gave the movie its originality and freshness. There were some interesting facts about them as well, such as that wasps will pose as bees in order to penetrate the hive and kill real bees in order to eat them.
So, if you haven't seen this movie or if you ever want to watch a mystery-drama film, I highly recommend this movie.
Also, with this movie, you don't have to see Lord of the Rings to find out why Ian McKellen is such a great actor.
This movie I rate 5 out of 5 stars, a true masterpiece.
Did you know that Ian also play Magneto imln some of the first X-Men films?
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I did know that.
I saw snippets of this movie on my mom's laptop several years ago, and I wasn't really interested in a Sherlock who's out of the game. I'd much prefer a Sherlock who's still fresh in the game.
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I was about to say that, but you beat me to it.
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Apologies.
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Eh. It happens.
This one sounds interesting. I hadn’t even heard of it before. I might watch it someday. Also, I’m a big fan of The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, so that’s another reason why I would like this one, I think Ian McKellen’s performance there is amazing!
Ah yes, this was a nice treat. I liked how they had the Holmes books be a thing Watson wrote, with some creative liberties (Apparently Holmes' famous deerstalker cap was country wear, thus he likely wouldn't wear such in the city), which I've seen a few times before, with either Watson using Doyle's name as a pseudonym or the like in-universe, or Doyle himself as a character who interacts with Holmes.