MovieChat Forums > The Great Mouse Detective (1986) Discussion > Not bad, but not really a classic either...

Not bad, but not really a classic either -- a bit underwhelming

posted 11 years ago by notaarebe
4 replies | jump to latest

All in all, a middle-of-the-road Disney film. A reasonably interesting portrayal of Sherlock Holmes and Watson -- sort of a kiddie version of the Basil Rathbone interpretation. A fairly cute and sympathetic little-girl character.

The villain? A bit overrated IMO. A competent Snidley Whiplash type, but not so extraordinary. The "Ratigan" song near the beginning was dull.

Outwitting Holmes (or whatever the character's name was), on the other hand, was a clever plot development, as was the idea that Holmes is then in despair and needs to regain his self-confidence.

Some fairly good action involving Queen Victoria and Big Ben.

Not bad, all in all, but not exactly a classic either. Competent fare.

Best moment by far -- the scene in the pub, with the burlesque dancer. She stole the whole movie, and as someone else said on this board, she should definitely have been more integral to the plot. Major missed opportunity there.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] jackcatman 9 years ago

Finally, someone who isn't so madly in love with this film that they're blinded by how average it is. Apart from the characters of Basil and Ratigan the film is flatter than a pancake, and in my opion one of the blandest animations Disney ever released. The clocktower scene has credit but nothing much else does. The whole film just seems like a wasted opportunity.

[–] norman-dostal 9 years ago

Agree with you guys. I liked it- some good stuff- but at the end I felt a little "meh".

[–] cartesianthought 9 years ago

I wouldn't call it a classic, but it's one of the better Disney movies in my opinion. Underrated in the sense that it doesn't get the same appreciation as the others.

I found the characters likeable, and even the villain charismatic in his own way. The set pieces like bar scene, the toy factory scenes and the Rube Goldberg trap were very well done.

And it's nice to see a Disney movie that isn't about a damsel in distress and a war against an evil empire.