SHERLOCK: HIS LAST VOW

UK, 2013, 90 minutes, Cover.Colour.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Mark Gattiss, Robert Graves, Amanda Abington, Louise Brealey, Lars Mikkelsen, Lindsay Duncan.
Directed by Nick Hurran.

His Last Vow is the final film in the third series of Sherlock. The series has focused on some cases but, more particularly, on Sherlock Holmes himself and his personality. Once again he refers to himself as a high-functioning sociopath. But, he does make some attempt at personal relationships, even though Watson and the audience are shocked to see Janine staying at his flat. But he is using her to get to the arch-villain of the film.

We see the arch-villain in action, blackmailing a politician about her husband’s previous indiscretions. She decides to ask Holmes help. Then we see Holmes in a drug centre and assume the worst, as does Dr Watson. However, it is a ploy to give the villain something to hold against him while he tries to retrieve letters.

Everything is not so easy. While Holmes and Watson get into the villains building, with the help of Janine whom Holmes has been cultivating for this purpose, he finds her wounded and then a shooter confronting the villain. In a surprising plot twist, it is Mary Morstan who has a background as an assassin agent. She wounds Sherlock but rings for an ambulance to save him. In the meantime, she has dispatched the villain.

There is a confrontation scene between Mary and Sherlock with Watson as a witness. Then a celebration at the Holmes home, with his parents, Mycroft and the Watsons. Mycroft wants Sherlock out of the country but a crisis arises and he phones the plane after four minutes and Sherlock returns. And so does Moriarty.

1. The end of this series? The cases, the personal focus on Sherlock and his development? The villain, Magnusson? And the appearances of Moriarty?

2. London, the world of politics, media, finance? Mycroft and the Secret Service, interest in Magnusson? The role of Sherlock in this confrontation with Magnusson?

3. Sherlock on the drugs, Watson finding him, the character of Will, addict, his powers of observation, Sherlock hiring him, his participation in the investigations? The drugs as a cover for Magnusson to have grounds for blackmail? The shock of Janine in Sherlock’s flat? His using her? The continued relationship between John, Mary and Sherlock?

4. The opening, the blackmail, the politician, Magnusson and his insinuations, the letters, the effect? The politician and her getting Sherlock involved? The questioning of Magnusson and his device of having the information before his eyes? The audience seeing the details?

5. Magnusson as a character, sinister, his visit to Sherlock’s flat, his words, criticism of the flat, urinating in the fireplace, the defiance? Sherlock and Watson going to his estate and finding that his information was in his memory? His building, his being in the room with Mary, her shooting him?

6. Watson and Holmes getting into the building, the plan, the key, the corruption of the card, Janine letting him in? Her being used? Her being injured? The later visit, the articles denouncing Holmes, her pleasant revenge?

7. Getting into the room, the documents, Mary with the gun, her shooting Sherlock? Her shooting Magnusson?

8. Holmes, his being shot, in his imagination, Mycroft’s advice, the workers at the lab and their indicating the nature of the bullet, the shot, the flow of blood…? His collapsing? Mary and her ringing for the ambulance?

9. The Christmas dinner, the Holmes family, Mycroft and his attitudes, expressing regard for Sherlock, their smoking outside, their parents strict? Sherlock and his putting something in the drink and leaving with Watson?

10. The rendezvous with Mary, the street, the building with her image on the front, the confrontation with Sherlock, the discovery that John was present?
John hearing everything?

11. John and Mary, the USB stick, her giving John everything, not wanting to lose his love, his not listening to it or reading it, the reconciliation?

12. Mycroft getting rid of Sherlock to Eastern Europe, the emergency, calling him back after four minutes?

13. The imagery of Moriarty in the present, the threat to Sherlock? The final television screens –‘Miss me’?