Benedict Cumberbatch holds significantly less charm in this installment of Sherlock than he did in A Study in Pink last year. He's outdone by Martin Freeman, a quiet scene stealer if ever there was one. While there's still cleverness and joy to be found in this version of Sherlock Holmes, some of the novelty like on-screen text has worn out. The unraveling of the mystery is oddly unimpressive, almost dull.
