You are here:

Holmes & Watson

Name: Holmes & Watson
Director: Etan Cohen
Released: 2018
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

3.8/10

Limited

2018

PG-13

Director

Etan Cohen

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Holmes & Watson is a postmodern parody that emphasizes slapstick humor over social critique. While it uses a diverse cast to populate a Victorian setting, it lacks a coherent ideological framework to challenge existing power structures. The film relies on traditional character types and focuses on the incompetence of the main characters, rather than providing complex or empowering roles for underrepresented groups. Ultimately, the film prioritizes genre parody over subverting cultural norms, resulting in a conventional comedic experience with limited multi-layered depth.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Holmes & Watson have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not explicitly depict LGBTQ+ identities or same-sex relationships. The main characters have a platonic, humorous partnership.

How does Holmes & Watson portray gender?

Limited

The story centers around male characters, limiting the roles of female characters. Women are not given meaningful intellectual or narrative authority.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Holmes & Watson?

Fair

The film features a diverse supporting cast, including actors from various backgrounds. However, these characters mostly play secondary roles without driving the main storyline.

How does Holmes & Watson represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story follows a typical Western comedic style without critiquing religion, capitalism, or Western institutions through its slapstick humor.

Does Holmes & Watson include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not significantly portray neurodivergence or physical disabilities. Characters' mistakes are used for comedy rather than exploring disability in depth.

Present on Screen

The film introduces multiculturalism to the Victorian setting through a diverse supporting cast.
It avoids reinforcing traditional masculine leadership by portraying its leads as farcical and incompetent.

Limited or Absent

Female characters lack meaningful ability to act and intellectual authority.
Characters from diverse backgrounds are confined to secondary roles without driving the plot.
The film misses opportunities to explore neurodiversity or disability with nuance, opting for comedic bumbling instead.

Official Synopsis

Detective Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson join forces to investigate a mysterious murder at Buckingham Palace. It seems like an open-and-shut case as all signs point to Professor James Moriarty, the criminal mastermind and longtime nemesis of the crime-solving duo. When new twists and clues begin to emerge, the world's greatest sleuth and his trusted assistant must now use their legendary wits and ingenious methods to catch the killer as they only have four days before the queen becomes the next victim.

How are these scores produced? →