Plot: What’s it about?
A sequel to 2011’s Gnomeo & Juliet, Sherlock Gnomes arrived in theaters and left without much notice. It hardly made a dent which means we probably won’t get a third chapter any time soon. I remember taking my two young cousins to see Gnomeo in theaters and I enjoyed seeing them enjoy it. Truth be told, the film did very little for me. This was also before I began reviewing for this site, so viewing this sequel is more out of obligation. After not caring for the first chapter and seeing the abysmal reviews, my enthusiasm wasn’t high, but duty calls. To be fair, though, the target audience should eat this up, but I don’t see most casual adults getting a lot out of this. As I write this review, The Incredibles 2 arrives in theaters this weekend, which is from Disney/Pixar and getting a warm response from critics. I’d just as soon tell people to check out that film and avoid this one altogether, but let’s take a look at what we can expect.
Garden gnomes Gnomeo (Voices by James McAvoy) and Juliet (Emily Blunt) are now happily married and find themselves involved in a mystery. Their friends and family are beginning to disappear and this teams the two gnomes with detective Sherlock Gnomes (Johnny Depp) to try and solve the case. I vaguely recall the TV ads for Sherlock, but went in to this sequel somewhat fresh. I’d be lying if I said I remember much at all about the original 2011 chapter, but there are some semi-clever gags here. Unfortunately, I think the issue is they had the basic idea figured out, but didn’t know what to do beyond that. There are some talented stars voicing many of these characters, but I was mostly just ready for this to finally end. As I mentioned earlier, the target audience should enjoy this ok, but it isn’t one of the better ones. I also can’t help but want to recommend an actual good story rather than one that I offer faint praise towards. Though harmless, there are just far too many better animated outings to endorse this one.
Video: How’s it look?
With a 2.35:1 ratio and a feature full of various colors, how can I say anything negative about the image? It’s simple: I can’t. Things look quite pleasing to the eyes here as there’s strong detail throughout. There’s a broad look to the feature that should please anyone who pops it in to check it out. I didn’t care for the film, but the transfer remained pleasing.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The DTS HD track is also strong as this stayed pretty active throughout. It’s indeed a busy feature with a lot of action, so the track keeps us with it. There’s the crisp, clarity we’ve come to expect. All things that only add up to make this an engaging track. Little details here and there enhance the experience as well. This became an engaging track.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Gnome is Where the Heart Is – Go behind-the-scenes with the all-star cast in this light-hearted, yet informative EPK supplement.
- All Roads Lead to Gnome: London Locations in Sherlock Gnomes – Basically that, a look at some of the (animated) locales in London seen in the movie.
- Miss Gnomer: Mary J. Blige and the Music of Sherlock Gnomes – Blige discusses her role in the film as well as her musical contribution.
- Stronger Than I Ever Was – Enjoy the brand new music video performed by Mary J. Blige
- How To Draw – Learn how to draw your favorite characters:
- Sherlock Gnomes
- Watson
- Moriarty
- Goons
- Animating Sherlock Gnomes – Discover the magic behind the movie’s animation.
The Bottom Line
It did little for me, but the target audience should enjoy it. The issue I have is there are just so many better features out there that I wouldn’t even want someone to start here. It might be worthy of a rental, but proceed with caution.
