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Young Sherlock Holmes

Play trailer Poster for Young Sherlock Holmes PG-13 1985 1h 49m Mystery & Thriller Adventure Action Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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70% Tomatometer 23 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A teenage Sherlock Holmes (Nicholas Rowe) meets and befriends his future sidekick, the bemused and bespectacled John Watson (Alan Cox). During their first semester of boarding school, a series of deaths occur on campus. Intrigued by the crime, Holmes looks into it and soon comes to suspect a poisonous hallucinogen. And then, in the midst of their investigation, Holmes and Watson stumble on a bizarre cult with a penchant for human sacrifice -- after which they must struggle to escape.
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Young Sherlock Holmes

Young Sherlock Holmes

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Critics Consensus

Young Sherlock Holmes is a charming, if unnecessarily flashy, take on the master sleuth.

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Critics Reviews

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Paul Attanasio Washington Post Jan 4, 2018
... it's a perfectly agreeable family entertainment, a craftsmanlike fantasia on Conan Doyle. Go to Full Review
Joshua Vasquez Slant Magazine Dec 5, 2003
3/4
There is something about Holmes's elegant, haunting, and whisperingly melancholic distance, his analytical remove from the world, that inspires a desire for glimpses of the baroque corridors of labyrinthine interiors. Go to Full Review
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Jan 1, 2000
3/4
If these story elements seem typical of Conan Doyle, there is also a lot in this movie that can be traced directly to the work of Steven Spielberg, the executive producer. Go to Full Review
Grant Watson Fiction Machine 3 days ago
The action, when it comes, is not shot in a suspenseful for engaging manner. Levinson has much strength as both writer and director; action and suspense are not among his stronger skills. Go to Full Review
Belen Prieto Espinof Jul 17, 2026
5/5
The film shares the same spirit of discovery, adventure, and wonder as titles like 'The Goonies'...achieving a balance of emotion, humor, and spectacle that turned an entire generation into a lover of cinema. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Mel Valentin eFilmCritic.com Oct 14, 2010
4/5
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Audience Reviews

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Matthew D @OceanSage 5 days ago A charming love letter to Sherlock Holmes. Director Barry Levinson’s romantic adventure mystery Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) is a wonderful movie for all ages. It has a similar feel to Young Indiana Jones or Harry Potter of all things. Spielberg’s hand can be felt in the scary horror and exciting adventure elements. You can see where Levinson was influenced by Temple of Doom or where Guy Ritchie got some ideas for his Sherlock Holmes films with Robert Downey Jr. Young Sherlock Holmes is a very fun adventure. Levinson’s direction keeps a respectful style to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters of Dr. John Watson and Sherlock Holmes. It’s surprising how much I remember from Young Sherlock Holmes since I only saw it once as a child decades ago. It’s quite charming, funny, smart, and exciting. A love letter to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I found Young Sherlock Holmes a pleasant comfort watch with charming heroes, witty jokes, intriguing mystery, and even tender romance. See more thiago S @Thiagostone Jun 5, 2026 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Noah H. @Noah85 May 30, 2026 Pretty good! I’m not a massive Sherlock Holmes fan, but I really enjoyed this take on the character. Watson was funny, the action scenes were entertaining, and the chase sequence was especially exciting. The visual effects were impressive too, particularly the stained-glass knight sequence, which was created using very early CGI. For a 1985 film, it still looks remarkably good. I’m giving Young Sherlock Holmes 4 out of 5 stars because I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. I really wanted Sherlock and Elizabeth to end up together, so Elizabeth’s death was genuinely sad and disappointing for me. Still, aside from that, Young Sherlock Holmes is a fun adventure with memorable characters, exciting action, and groundbreaking effects. Just brace yourself for the ending! Rating: 4/5 See more Sarah V @Lousyl Mar 8, 2026 Absolutely exceptional entertainment! Funny, witty, smart and quick. Will be counting down the days until season 2 is released!! See more Angela D @RT68460736 Jan 5, 2026 This movie will live on in infamy. I absolutely love this movie. Too bad they didn't make a sequel of this Fantastic, Thrilling movie. Excellent!!!!!! See more Gregory S @Gregory566 Dec 27, 2025 It was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. Fun and adventurous movie. See more Read all reviews
Young Sherlock Holmes

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Young Sherlock Holmes

Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - This is Not Real Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - This is Not Real 2:11 Now Playing Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Cold Revenge Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Cold Revenge 2:02 Now Playing Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Holmes' New Hat Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Holmes' New Hat 1:49 Now Playing Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Attack on Waxflatter Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Attack on Waxflatter 1:19 Now Playing Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Fencing Lessons Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Fencing Lessons 1:34 Now Playing Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Adventure of a Lifetime Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Adventure of a Lifetime 2:06 Now Playing Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Watson Meets Holmes Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - Watson Meets Holmes 2:13 Now Playing Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Stained Glass Knight Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Stained Glass Knight 2:03 Now Playing Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Cult of Eh-tar Young Sherlock Holmes: Official Clip - The Cult of Eh-tar 1:54 Now Playing View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis A teenage Sherlock Holmes (Nicholas Rowe) meets and befriends his future sidekick, the bemused and bespectacled John Watson (Alan Cox). During their first semester of boarding school, a series of deaths occur on campus. Intrigued by the crime, Holmes looks into it and soon comes to suspect a poisonous hallucinogen. And then, in the midst of their investigation, Holmes and Watson stumble on a bizarre cult with a penchant for human sacrifice -- after which they must struggle to escape.
Director
Barry Levinson
Producer
Henry Winkler, Mark Johnson
Screenwriter
Chris Columbus
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Adventure, Action, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 6, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$18.1M
Runtime
1h 49m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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