Holmes & Watson is so bad, viewers are walking out mid-movie
Christmas Day coal Holmes & Watson may have risen just slightly above its original 0 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (it’s now at 6 percent, victory!), but the alleged comedy is inciting a pretty strong reaction from some moviegoers: The rare mid-movie storm-out.
The Sherlock Holmes-inspired movie re-teams Step Brothers‘ Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly and wasn’t screened in advance for critics. Some critics went and saw it after it opened anyway, bravely collecting some holiday hazard pay (and thereby contributing to the film’s ultra-low $10 million opening weekend box office take).
First, here are some sample professional slams:
— Newsday: “One of those movies that goes beyond unfunny and into a comedy-cubist zone, where jokes are no longer recognizable and laughter is philosophically impossible … It’s an unexpected low point from two great actors who were pure gold in ‘Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,’ and at least silver in ‘Step Brothers.’ In ‘Holmes & Watson,’ however, the two seem to have no script or even a premise to work with, and the ideas they throw into the void are either desperately crass or simply incoherent.”
— AV Club: “…might be the worst feature-length film ever made about the ‘consulting detective; from Baker Street. The movie is 89 minutes of inertia and pure, undiluted flopsweat, with a couple of uncharacteristically unfunny and painfully awkward lead performances …One might call it a failure on almost every level—that is, if the movie ever gave the impression that it was trying to succeed. Instead, it’s pervaded by an air of extreme laziness.”
The trashing game is, clearly, afoot.
But wait. You came here for reports of viewers walking out. And you shall have them:
One of the most moronic, idiotic and completely brain dead films of 2018. Totally walked out in fear of subliminal stupidity. This is the kind of film that bankrupts studios. — watching Holmes & Watson
— Hulon Pate (@Hulon_Pate) December 27, 2018
Literally never walked out of a movie before but after witnessing the first 30 minutes of Holmes & Watson, I’m convinced Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly should never be allowed to work again
— Louise Orr (@LouiseFOrr) December 27, 2018
I haven't walked out of a movie since Final Destination 5 back in 2011. Holmes & Watson has changed that. Now don't get me wrong Will Ferrell and John C Reilly are funny but none of the jokes were hitting. There was couple that was walking out when I woke up.
— T (@BlackmagicLloyd) December 26, 2018
Just walked out of a movie after just 10 minutes. Please give me back those precious seconds, Will Ferrell, Holmes & Watson stinks.
— Andrew Lightman (@Andrew_HillRag) December 25, 2018
Perfect day to go to movie...just don’t see new Will Farrell film...Holmes & Watson. Horrible!! I have only walked out of two movies in my life. Nothing funny about it!!
— Jean Daul (@DaulJean) December 27, 2018
my sister, her bf and I just went to see Holmes & Watson...we walked out after an hour... it’s so bad.
— ???????????????????? ‡ ???? (@blueveinblues) December 25, 2018
To be fair, there are two critics who are endorsing Holmes & Watson. One is at Vulture, who defends his take like this: “… begins as ineptly as any comedy I’ve seen, and then settles into an agreeably silly groove that had the common hordes around me yukking it up. When it’s bad it is, indeed, painful, but even third-rate Will Ferrell + John C. Reilly is more inspired than the noisy contraptions on either side of it in the multiplex.”