Wretched, Awful, And Totally Wrong (Spoilers)

Why oh why must they continually take classic stories and re-write them to fit some "modern" agenda? Conan Doyle's story was fine the way it was, but apparently the script writers of this colossal mess didn't think so, as they've completely altered the characters and ending.

Shelock Holmes is played as an arrogant, bumbling sociopath who's overconfidence directly leads to one death, and almost to another (Sir Henry was NOT mauled in the real story, though he was badly shaken by the hound's appearance.) Watson comes across as a bitter schoolmarm, shaking his finger at Holmes's antics. There is NO sense of friendship or camaraderie between the two men, which was such an essential part of the books. A seance is added (why?)and characters who did not die in the original, die in this one. The villain, instead of sinking into the mire as a kind of divine punishment for his crimes, instead gets the better of Sherlock Holmes and is only stopped (by a shot to the head!) from Watson.

This could have been a wonderful film. Richard Roxburgh was woefully miscast in the title role, but Ian Hart and Richard E. Grant could have carried the movie had they been given something better to work with. Alas, instead we're left with a flashy re-imagining of the tale that's all style and no substance. Here's hoping that the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle will just say no to future attempts to "improve" upon the late author's classics.