Last month, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly starred side-by-side in a comedic take on the life of Detective Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Dr. John Watson. The film follows Holmes and Watson as they navigate through their latest mystery: a murder at Buckingham Palace and a threat to kill the Queen.
Now, if I'm being quite honest with you, I had to Google what their mystery was even though I saw the film a little over twenty-four hours ago. If that doesn't convince you that this film was not one to remember altogether, then I'm not sure what will.
As a fan of Ferrell and Reilly, I was quite excited for this movie to come out. However, I was quickly disappointed when I noticed the number of negative reviews attached to the film's release. The public took this film so bad that one critic even debated on classifying the film as a comedy. Rotten Tomatoes, a beloved film-critique website, gave "Holmes and Watson" a whopping eight-percent rating. "Holmes and Watson" viewers responded so badly that even Netflix wouldn't take it.
After seeing all the negativity, I decided to check out the movie myself and see what all the critics and fans were talking about.
There were quite a few moments during the film in which I found myself asking, "Did I really pay $13.50 to watch this?" There were also other moments where I was belly-laughing at the ridiculousness being displayed on the screen. Who knew Sherlock Holmes falling in love with a crazy cat lady would put me on the verge of tears?
As I left the theatre, my mind kept trying to understand why the critics and fans gave this film such a horrendous review. Then it hit me.
It takes a special type of person to find this movie funny.
If you don't like physical comedy, such as Watson being beaten up by a giant wrestler or Sherlock Holmes being smashed by a giant ball, then this movie is not for you. These stunt gags are immature, yet also so ridiculous that they're funny. There is a certain level of open-mindedness that one must have in order to categorize this film as a comedy. There are bits of randomness where most would become confused. Those moments are meant to be funny. You must remember that not everything Will Ferrell makes is going to be as funny as anything else he has been in.
Ideally, Will Ferrell movies smash in the box-office and become instant classics. Think "Elf," "Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy," "Talladega Nights: The Tale of Ricky Bobby," etc. "Holmes and Watson" is definitely far down in the list of funny Will Ferrell movies, but it should definitely not be dead last. Other films of his, like "The House," had way less funny moments compared to his other films, yet were not trashed as hard as his parody of Sherlock Holmes.
For those who are afraid they won't like this film or didn't like this film, I suggest you open your mind and accept the weird, random, and unfunny, yet funny moments in "Holmes and Watson." It may not be "Step Brothers," but it's still a film that emphasizes the hilarity that can arise when Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are side by side on the screen.
