Gnomeo (James McAvoy – Atomic Blonde, Split) & Juliet (Emily Blunt – The Girl on the Train, Into the Woods), two Garden gnomes, recruit renowned detective Sherlock Gnomes (Johnny Depp – Murder on the Orient Express, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the gnomes in their garden, and many other gardens in the neighbourhood. Could it be the dastardly villain Moriarty (Jamie Demetriou – Paddington 2)? With the help of trusted assistant Dr. Watson (Chiwetel Ejiofor – Doctor Strange, Triple 9), Sherlock must find the gnomes, and foil any evil plans.
A character successor to Gnomeo and Juliet, Sherlock Gnomes continues with the lives of the couple, as they are now promoted to being in charge of the new garden.
The main characters have personality, but keeping the films plot simple for younger audiences, yet bringing that air of mystery we all love about the great detective, and thus a well rounded family story, with a few laughs and fun ride.
With colourful animation, and detailed settings, the cinematics are a marvel, and while most younger viewers could not notice much, it does allow for a small visual feast for the rest of us.
The flow of the films plot might be a little constrained, likely designed such so as to help everyone follow, and not introduce any complex twists, yet there are moment that feel as if they are checking some items off a list, and others that meander slightly, making for slow movement to the story. Yet, these are few, and far between, and soon we are whisked away yet again with the heroes on their quest, pausing every now and then for a humorous interlude.
A fun, family film, Sherlock Gnomes opens 11 May 2018 in South African cinemas.