SHERLOCK GNOMES – Rated PG – 1 hr. 26 mins. 

SHERLOCK GNOMES – Rated PG – 1 hr. 26 mins. 

Director:  John Stevenson 

Starring:  James McAvoy, Kelly Asbury, Mary J Blidge, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Johnny Depp, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jamie Demetriou) 

As we venture into London on the heels of what just might turn out to be Sherlock Gnomes (Johnny Depp) biggest case, he, along with his partner Dr. Watson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), are trying to figure out what has happened to all the garden gnomes about town, as they are many of them missing…

When Gnomeo (James McAlvoy) and Juliet (Emily Blunt) find themselves moved to a new, yet not some glamorous garden, it is up to them and their fellow family and friends to hastily get their new home into tip-top shape…

But when Gnomeo & Juliet’s family and friends also vanish into thin air, they must team up with Sherlock & Watson, to find their loved ones, and all the other gnomes who are missing, before it’s too late….

I give SHERLOCK GNOMES a rating of WAIT AND CATCH THIS FILM ON DVD OR NETFLIX:  In staying to true Sherlock form, Sherlock Gnomes is a “who done it” caper, written and animated, with the little viewers in mind.  And to not make it so difficult for the adults to get through it, they managed to use enough of ELTON JOHN’s music to keep it snappy and jingly the whole way through.  They even managed to get Ms. Mary J Blidge herself to add a tune along the way.  And the voiceovers throughout seemed to be perfectly cast too, as who else but Johnny Depp would be able to perform “the perfect Sherlock Holmes”…oops, I mean Sherlock Gnomes character…along with his dastardly mischievous style J  But, as the little kids around me (4-7) seemed to be intrigued, the larger kids around me seem less enamored throughout the film, as this very sweet and endearing storyline seemed to be moving way to slow for any of them.  Although, I must also share, that my 18-year-old daughter and her boyfriend, said that they liked it too…

So, if Gnomes are your thing, and you enjoy Sherlock too, then by all means grab the fam and head out to a theater this weekend, to catch this film on a big screen near you.  But, if you aren’t too fond of Gnomes, or Sherlock Holmes…then you might want to take my advice and wait and pick up this film on DVD, or when it hits on NETFLIX, as even with its mild-mannered entertainment throughout, I just can’t make you drop the big bucks to catch it on the big screen, with your entire family in tow…

Kathy Kaiser