Despite a rather remote performance from Richard Roxburgh (in comparison to say Jeremy Brett, or Basil Rathbone), I enjoyed this slightly amended/updated version of the story.
I have read the book several times, but am not a purist. I don't believe you should look at a movie as an adaptation of a book, but you must look at the movie as the entire package and enjoy it for itself. The very nature of film-making means that you must change things sometimes, especially when adapting material originally written over a century ago.
And if someone has paid for the rights to a story, then they are entitled to change it as much as they like if they think it will sell better that way. So ignore the original material and enjoy or not enjoy the film just for itself.
Having said that, I think that Ian Hart is one of the best Dr Watson's we've seen, certainly far better than the unfortunate bumbling of Nigel Bruce for instance. Dr Watson is not an idiot, but an intelligent doctor and a decorated soldier. In many Sherlock Holmes stories on the screen you can't help but say: "What would Holmes be doing with an idiot for a friend?" I think Ian Hart has played Watson on at least one other occasion, and he was also good playing Conan Doyle in "Finding Neverland", which was a nice touch.
Just watch this version of the story and enjoy it for itself.
I have read the book several times, but am not a purist. I don't believe you should look at a movie as an adaptation of a book, but you must look at the movie as the entire package and enjoy it for itself. The very nature of film-making means that you must change things sometimes, especially when adapting material originally written over a century ago.
And if someone has paid for the rights to a story, then they are entitled to change it as much as they like if they think it will sell better that way. So ignore the original material and enjoy or not enjoy the film just for itself.
Having said that, I think that Ian Hart is one of the best Dr Watson's we've seen, certainly far better than the unfortunate bumbling of Nigel Bruce for instance. Dr Watson is not an idiot, but an intelligent doctor and a decorated soldier. In many Sherlock Holmes stories on the screen you can't help but say: "What would Holmes be doing with an idiot for a friend?" I think Ian Hart has played Watson on at least one other occasion, and he was also good playing Conan Doyle in "Finding Neverland", which was a nice touch.
Just watch this version of the story and enjoy it for itself.