This is a very peculiar movie that certainly flies against early indications that it would be a fresh but serious take on the classic tale. McGuigan's stint on TV's Sherlock has a clear influence on the style at times, as indeed does the latest film series' bromance of Downey Jnr and Law's Holmes and Watson, but it is undone by a sometimes oddly camp script and - rather like the creatures made up of a patchwork of parts - a range of scenes and performances that seem to wander in from different versions of the same film. In a strong and surprisingly young British cast, Radcliffe tries hard and does a fair job, McAvoy is hugely entertaining (not always for the right reasons) as his performance becomes increasingly unfettered, and Jessica Brown Findlay has little to do as the single token female/love-interest role. It does have a rousing if chaotically-presented finale in a beautifully-designed set with bizarre costumes, but it does not save the film from being an inconsistent and odd film to watch.
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