Priključenija Šerloka Cholmsa i doktora Vatsona: Dvadcatyj věk načinajetsja

"German is rather coarse, but still it is one of the most significant languages in Europe. What do you think, Watson?" Well, I myself would agree with the detective with a big D. But look out, I shall diverge. The question is whether he would agree with me that the fifth movie (again in two parts) should never have been made. Not that it would shame the movie that came before, but it is superfluous and thanks to its tendency away from criminal matters to the service of his majesty is disappointing. At the same time it is atmospheric, to the point of horror, the prolog of part one is absolutely splendid. But, before we know it, we find that a case that was panning out nicely becomes just a search for one letter. Nothing else happens, everything is clear not only to the viewer, but to the characters too and so there is nothing else to do than natter away in three different rooms till the bitter end. Which lasts an unbelievable forty minutes. This story had it in itself to be the best, but instead it became definitely the worst part. The second story is much better, and the espionage is at least presented with a hint of a detective plot, but still this isn’t the real Holmes. It was nice to see the polite humor and also not to see Watson’s comic excesses. It wasn’t nice to see that Maslennikov’s Holmes bids farewell on just average form, which isn’t far from being boring. (13.10.2008)

Ein ausgezeichnetes Ende einer gelungenen Serie. Besonders der Anfang der ersten Folge mit der Hydraulikpresse war toll. Die Spionage-Stimmung von allem, was gefolgt hat, hat man durch einen ziemlich dezenten Humor entspannt. Diesmal gab es keine krampfhaften Grimassen, im Gegenteil. Zum Beispiel das ständige Klingeln von den Telefonen und vom Telegraf in Mycrofts Büro war sehr witzig und hat gleichzeitig schön anschaulich erklärt, wie sehr sich die Welt der Haupthelden verändert hat. (14.12.2016)