This film exists as supporting evidence for three well-established postulates in film theory:

1. Early attempts to bring stage successes to silent film were disastrous. Here we waste nearly two hours watching paint dry.
2. A superhero without a worthy nemesis is a superdud. Moriarty doesn't enter until 45 minutes in, so over a third of the film is just Watson, Sherlock, and his little concubine Billy.
3. Sherlock Holmes is a boring smug prick.

Online: Internet Archive