kˈɑːɹloʊ sˈæntoʊz ʌv ˈænɪmˌeɪ nˈuːz nˈɛtwɜːk kəmˈɛndᵻd ðə fˈɪlmz dᵻpˈɑːɹtʃɚ fɹʌmðə sˈɪɹiz sˌɪnɪmˈæɾɪk fˈɔːɹmjʊlə wɪð ɪts "pˌɪktʃɚɹˈɛsk" lˈʌndən sˈɛɾɪŋ ænd dˈʌbəl mˈɪstɚɹi ɐlˈɔŋsaɪd ðə jˈuːʒuːəl "ˈækʃənpˈækt ˈɛndɪŋ", bˌʌt fˈɛlt ɪt wʌz hˈæmpɚd baɪ pˈʊɹli pˈeɪst ˌɛksɪkjˈuːʃən, "ɪŋkənsˈɪstənt pɹədˈʌkʃən vˈæljuːz", ænd nˈoʊ jˌuːɾɪlᵻzˈeɪʃən ʌv ʃˈɜːlɑːk hˈoʊmz hɪmsˈɛlf, kˈɔːlɪŋ ɪt "ɐn ˈɔːkwɚdli stɹˈɛtʃtˈaʊt ˈɛpɪsˌoʊd ɪnstˈɛd əvə fˈiːtʃɚ fˈɪlm, ænd hˈoʊmz dˈʌzənt ˈiːvən ʃˈoʊ ˌʌp tə hˈɛlp.
Carlo Santos of Anime News Network commended the film's departure from the series' cinematic formula with its "picturesque" London setting and double mystery alongside the usual "action-packed ending", but felt it was hampered by poorly paced execution, "inconsistent production values", and no utilization of Sherlock Holmes himself, calling it "an awkwardly stretched-out episode instead of a feature film, and Holmes doesn't even show up to help.