Too many fans seem to be blown away

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

"Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon" is the first truly effective Holmes film from "Universal" studios. Lionel Atwill makes for a brilliant Professor Moriarty and his is the best interpretation by far. The confrontation between Holmes and Moriarty is great. The plot has a fair degree of intrigue and atmosphere, the low lighting accounting for this. I have always been entertained by this 1942 film, its running time of 65 minutes whizzes by. The story of "The Dancing Men" is slightly borrowed for this film but that was the beauty of the Basil Rathbone films. The scriptwriters knew how to create a film around an Arthur Conan Doyle story. Dennis Hoey is on hand as the bumbling Inspector Lestrade. Although there is rivalry between he and Holmes, they do realise that they can depend on each other when there is danger afoot. One of the best of the modern run.

This is the Second and Best of the Three Basil Rathbone Movies with Holmes set During WWII. Although the Conceit of Modernizing Sherlock has Purist Pontificating Endlessly about the Blasphemy, Truth is that the Rathbone-Bruce Series Probably did more to Reinstate Arthur Conan Doyle's Consulting Detective to the Public's Consciousness than Anything Else.The Updated Movies were All Fun and with Rathbone's Energetic Performances and a Striking and Sometimes Dark Style were just Dandy. Here He dons Three Rather Impressive Disguises (a Holmes trademark), is Near Horrific Death on Two Occasions, and must in the End Battle Wits with His Arch Nemesis Professor Moriarty (Lionel Atwill).Some of the Military Stuff is Clunky and the there is a Weak Female Participant, but it is the First in the Series to Include Holmes Link to Scotland Yard, Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey), "Always glad to have you hanging around Mr. Holmes". Listen Up for the Throwaway Lines, one about that Well Known German Author William Shakespeare and the other about the Needle. Yes, Fun Stuff.

Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) smuggles a Swiss inventor of a new bombsight into England and out of Nazi hands. But when the inventor is kidnapped right from under the nose of Scotland Yard, Holmes discovers it's not just the Nazis he has to contend with but his old nemesis Professor Moriarty (Lionel Atwill) as well.The second in Universal's highly enjoyable Sherlock Holmes series is also the first directed by Roy William Neill, who would direct every Universal Holmes film after this. This is also the first appearance of Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey), a pleasant addition to the series. Rathbone and Nigel Bruce are excellent, as usual. Rathbone gets to dress up in a few disguises, which are fun. He's still sporting that silly haircut from Voice of Terror. Lionel Atwill is a good Moriarty. Not the series' best but still very good. Any movie that features Basil Rathbone vs Lionel Atwill is one where you will be entertained.For some reason, as with other WWII Holmes movies, a lot of reviewers seem to really hate the idea of Sherlock Holmes fighting against the Nazis or for England. They claim Holmes was never intended for "propaganda" and that he should be left to simple detective stories. Someone should have told Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that when he wrote "His Last Bow," a WWI-era story which saw Holmes helping his country catch German spies.

Sherlock and Watson's second wartime adventure. This time the forced patriotism isn't as prevalent which gives way to an interesting story that uses the wartime backdrop to great effect. Holmes, once again played by the phenomenally good Rathbone, helps a scientist with a Secret Weapon to escape Switzerland without running foul of Nazis. Once back in England, the scientist develops his weapon for the British government but an old nemesis of Holmes' is back to wreak havoc. The film has the typical but always amusing banter between Holmes and Watson, with Lestrade also given a number of key scenes to play off the pair. The mystery itself is a bit up and down at times. We are told the answer before Holmes or Moriarty work it out which means they are playing catch-up with us. Also with the short running time there is no time for any character development. It is all exposition. Character was particularly important here, as one could argue against the scientist's choices in how he deals with the situation. A fun and fast paced entry.