If you follow my blog on a regular basis you might recall my very first press trip. It was to Los Angeles for the Gnomeo & Juliet press junket, red carpet premiere and after party. I was on “cloud nine” over all of it. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
The highlight of my trip was meeting Sir Elton John, who wrote and sang some of the songs in the film. Not only did I get to meet him and interview him, but he also gave me a hug and kissed me on my cheek! It’s been seven years and I am still in awe that it happened.
It’s been seven years since we first met Gnomeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Lord Redbrick, Lady Bluebury, Nanette, Fawn (who was surprisingly voiced by Ozzy Osborne), Paris, Featherstone and Benny.
The gnomes are back and better than ever in a new film – Sherlock Gnomes. Sherlock Gnomes is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.
Many of the beloved characters are back – Gnomeo, Juliet, Lady Bluebury, Nanette, Lord Redbrick and Benny (to name a few). There are also many new characters introduced.
Some of the celebrities that lend their voice in this film include Johnny Depp (Sherlock Gnome), Emily Blunt (Juliet), James McAvoy (Gnomeo), singer Mary J. Blige, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ozzy Osborne, Michael Cain, Steven Merchant and Maggie Smith.
Some time has passed since the first film (not that much). All of the gnomes have moved to London where Lady Bluebury and Lord Redbrick have decided it was time to let Gnomeo and Juliet be in charge of the garden. But are they up for the challenge?
Juliet plunges into her garden duties while Gnomeo seems less inclined. This causes tension and arguments between the two of them.
Gnomeo comes up with a not-so-brilliant idea which involves breaking into a flower shop. Things go awry and Juliet has to come to the rescue.
When they return back to the garden they discover that everyone is missing. There have been a rash of gnome “kidnappings” around London and it looks as though their family and friends have fallen victim to the “gnome-nappings.”
Enter Sherlock Gnome and his sidekick Watson. They are on the case and are trying to track down the evil Moriarty who they believe is the mastermind behind the disappearing gnomes around London.
In effort to find their family and friends, Gnomeo and Juliet join them on their quest to find the missing gnomes.
Time is of the essence. They have to find them quickly or they could be destroyed.
Along the way the pair visit Chinatown (and meet up with a plethora of those “good luck” cats with the waving arms), a doll shop, a trip down the sewer and a visit to the Tower of London.
Will they be able to find their family and friends before it’s too late? Will they be able to mend their differences in their relationship? To find out you need to pick up a copy of Sherlock Gnomes. Look for it where ever movies are sold.
I received some cute goodies to go along with the review copy of the film. One of the items I received it a “paint your own gnome” kit. I cannot wait to paint this! I have to plot my design before I start. I’m on the fence whether to paint it like a normal looking gnome, or go all out and make it a zombie gnome. I actually collect zombie gnomes and other creepy gnomes like Godzilla eating gnomes and a cat eating gnomes. Some are pictured below (sorry for the blurry picture).
I also received a super cute garden kit where we can plant our own vegetable garden. I was going to bring this into school and make it with my kindergarten class, but school is over on the 22nd of this month, and I feel like there won’t be enough time for them to watch them grow. Since we have 17 kids in our class and this kit grows only six different vegetables, I don’t think I can send them home with the kids. Maybe I’ll hold off until the fall when school returns, Or maybe I’ll make the attempt to garden on our balcony again.
Something I received that I know I am going to use is a mini sketch pad and some colored pencils. I LOVE to draw, doodle and color. I KNOW I am going to be using this a lot over the summer. I can enjoy it while sitting on our balcony or take it with me to the beach, park or even waiting around at doctor’s visits.
There is a bit of a difference between this film and the previous film. The original film was more “cutsie” where as this film is far less “cute.” Don’t get me wrong, the characters are still cute and all, but I found Sherlock’s attitude towards Watson to be very “mean” and I didn’t like his character at all. I also found some of the situations they were in to be geared towards older children then little ones.
The animation in this film is amazing. No detail was over looked. Even the gnomes themselves all look naturally “weathered.” They are not perfect and shiny. They are faded, chipped and scuffed, just like a real garden gnome would be.
There is some Elton John music in this film, but not as much as the original film. I found that to be interesting. I would have thought there would have been the same amount of Elton John tunes as in the original film.
I think the film makers tried to put in a few jokes that only adults would understand and/or appreciate. Takes for example the “Mankini” gnome (he’s back) who shows his butt. There is also another part where Benny utters “fertilizer” but it’s made to sound like he’s trying to say the “F” word. I was a bit surprised by that. There is also the word “fudge bucket” mentioned in the film. I was a bit surprised by that for a family film geared towards most ages.
I think little ones (4-6 year olds) could be weary of the rats and gargoyles. They mind find them a bit scary. Older kids will probably think they are cool.
Over all I thought the film was entertaining. I personally don’t think it comes close to the original film, but we still enjoyed it none the less.
I enjoyed the music too, most especially the Elton John tunes. Oh, by the way, there are several references to Elton John in the film too.
I’m also curious to see if there will be a sequel. The way the movie ended leaves a door open for that.
There are bonus features for the Blu-ray version of the film.
- Feature film in high definition
- Bonus Content:
- Gnome is Where the Heart Is – Go behind-the-scenes with the all-star cast
- All Roads Lead to Gnome: London Locations in Sherlock Gnomes
- Miss Gnomer: Mary J. Blige and the Music of Sherlock Gnomes
- Stronger Than I Ever Was – Enjoy the brand new music video performed by Mary J. Blige
- How To Draw – Learn how to draw your favorite characters: Sherlock Gnomes, Watson, Moriarty and the Goons
- Animating Sherlock Gnomes – Discover the magic behind the movie’s animation
Normally I watch the bonus features for films, but I didn’t get a chance to (personal reasons, death in the family).
Here are some fun bonus goodies you might enjoy.
Learn to Draw Sherlock Gnomes
Paramount Pictures has teamed up with Art for Kids Hub to produce drawing tutorials for major characters of the film for their Sherlock Gnomes week. Yesterday kids learned how to draw Watson and today they are demonstrating how to draw Sherlock Gnomes. They are also giving away fantastic prize packs with plushies, books and more. You can learn more about the giveaway here https://www.artforkidshub.com/how-to-draw-watson-sherlock-gnomes-giveaway/ .
Sherlock Gnomes Live
Sherlock’s on the case! The whole family can experience Sherlock Gnomes live on Facebook on Thursday, June 7th at 7 PM ET and can submit questions to him now. Paramount Home Entertainment is bringing Sherlock Gnomes to life in real-time as he solves fans’ greatest mysteries. This cutting edge experience utilizes motion capture technology to translate an actor’s performance into Sherlock, who will react live on the social network.
https://www.facebook.com/SherlockGnomes/videos/621415788220097/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjp-lIzhzp6/?taken-by=sherlockgnomes
Below is the film’s trailer for your enjoyment. It is the theatrical trailer. The film is no longer in theaters.
Did you see the film? If so, what did you think about it? Do you have a favorite character? Feel free to share your thoughts. I always love to hear from readers.
Kimberly
*I received a free screener copy and other goodies in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
Eric V. says
My daughter has been wanting to see this one! Looks really good! Thank you for posting a review! 🙂