User blog:A Spy in Concealment/My Review on Ian McKellen's Mr. Holmes

The very first movie review I have ever made. With this one, I go much more in-depth than any of the others.

Today, I review Mr. Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes(played by Ian McKellen) is 93 years old, and he is living with his housekeeper, Mrs. Munro(played by Laura Linney), and her son, Roger(played by Milo Parker). He also decides to become a beekeeper during his days of no longer being a detective. Holmes tries to recall what really happened on his final case before his retirement. But with his memory deteriorating, will he be able to recall his last case before he one day passes away?

I would like to say, that before I ever saw this movie, I was very skeptical about it because of the involvement of McKellen. Because of who he is in real life, and because I was unable to see any of his other movies, such as Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, I didn't think any of his movies were good nor did I see why many call him such a great actor. I thought he wasn't even a great actor to begin with.

But I was wrong.

When I saw this movie with my Mom, I was completely blown away by everything about it.

The acting, characters, and character development were excellent, particularly by our three main characters.

McKellen's performance as Sherlock Holmes at the age of 93 and retired was completely splendid. I don't think anyone but him could ever have been able to play him. Seeing him in that movie was amazing, and it helped me see why many call him such a great actor. It helped me gain respect and appreciation for him on his career as an actor. It also helped me see that just because he's not on a bright path does not mean that he's a terrible actor, and that it wouldn't cause problems for his performances either.

It's remarkable what kinds of talents God bestows upon us all. Even to those who barely know Him.

Also, the story, cinematography, and direction were executed perfectly.

Bill Condon was another reason I was hesitant about seeing this movie because of his recent work with Beauty and the Beast, and because of his personal life, just like Ian McKellen.

But his direction with this movie is what I call the best in his career, and I have to give him credit for the magnificent job he did.

To me, everything about it was original from the moment it began. Even as a story about Sherlock Holmes, it's completely unpredictable, new, fresh, and there's never a dull moment. There is mystery and drama in the film, but it's not intense to the point where you would become uncomfortable in your chair.

This movie, along with Johnny Depp's Finding Neverland, is one that I can't help but favorably compare to that of Gone with the Wind(which is a completely unhappy movie and will give you the worst three hours of your life).

Along with it's perfectly executed story, I loved how bees and wasps were incorporated into the the film. The way they were included was something that I don't think I have ever seen before, and they were important and part of what gave the movie its originality and freshness. There were also some interesting facts about them as well, such as that wasps will pose as bees in order to penetrate the hive and kill real bees in order to eat them.

So, if you haven't seen this movie or if you ever want to watch a mystery-drama film, I highly recommend this movie.

Also, with this movie, you don't have to see Lord of the Rings to find out why Ian McKellen is such a great actor.

If you've seen this movie, let me know in the comments box below what you think about it, Ian McKellen, and my review.