The Hound of the Baskervilles (2002)

What makes David Attwood’s The Hound of the Baskervilles (2002) special is how confidently it walks the tightrope between eerie legend and clear-eyed deduction, letting the moorland atmosphere curl around you without ever losing its grip on story. Richard Roxburgh brings a sharp, restless intelligence to Holmes, while Ian Hart’s Watson feels grounded and human, the kind of companion you’d want beside you when every shadow might be something worse than it seems. The film’s pleasures are old-fashioned in the best way: a compelling mystery, a creeping sense of dread, and a respectful devotion to Conan Doyle that still finds room to feel fresh and urgent. If you prefer your Holmes glossy or action-forward, this TV-movie pacing may feel measured, but if you want a fascinating, worthwhile adaptation that treats the case like a serious haunting of the mind, it’s an easy recommendation.

This TV-movie take on The Hound of the Baskervilles clearly wants to lean into gothic atmosphere and a more grounded, dramatic Holmes mystery, and on that level it often looks and sounds the part. The problem is the execution can feel oddly frustrating: the pacing meanders, some choices in characterization and plotting don’t land cleanly, and it never quite delivers the sharp, satisfying “Holmes clicks everything into place” payoff you’re probably here for. Richard Roxburgh brings an energetic edge and the moorland mood is solid, but if you want the definitive, tightly constructed version of this story, this one may leave you more irritated than impressed. If you’re tolerant of uneven adaptations and just want a brooding, serviceable mystery to fill an evening, you’ll get enough to keep watching.