Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

I, as a fan of Sherlock Holmes and of the portrayals given by Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett, personally loved the first Sherlock Holmes, it was fun, stylish and clever, with impeccably matched leads and a good villain, even with moments of annoying slow-motion, things getting convoluted and draggy in the second hour and Rachel McAdams.

Although the trailers suggested otherwise, I very much enjoyed this sequel. While there are a few improvements to the first film, it is overall not as good. My problems with the film come from the eventually annoying slow-motion in every fight sequence, it was fine at first but after a while it was overkill. I also felt there were too many characters some of whom don't have much time to develop, and instead are either come and go or blink and you'll miss. Lastly, the last forty-five minutes or so felt-like the first-rather sluggish in the pacing.

However, the film still looks wonderful, with the sets especially absolutely spectacular and a lot of effort is done into making the atmosphere evocative. The cinematography and lighting are also very good, with the lighting in particular giving some scenes a suitably haunting look. The music score is rousing, Guy Ritchie's direction is more efficient this time around, the first hour and a quarter or so goes at a cracking pace and more than makes up for the rather duller half and the dialogue especially with Holmes crackles.

Despite some of my criticisms, there were a couple of improvements. One was Noomi Rapace, whose appearance and style is much more suited to the period, McAdams as Irene gave it her all in the first but I sometimes found her hair and the way the character dressed jarring. Two is that apart from the draggy last act the story this time around is much more involving and contains much more going on to compel the viewer, the first was generally a great idea and was fun but got a little confusing by the end. Lastly, Jared Harris as Moriaty, Mark Strong was good but Moriaty as a whole is a more interesting villain, and I loved how cunning yet smooth Harris' performance was.

Not to mention Stephen Fry as Mycroft, a wonderful and very thoughtful performance in my view, and he even gets his own nude scene. In fact all the cast bring a lot of gusto to the roles even the sidelined(personally I found this a wise move) McAdams. I do wish though there was more of Eddie Marsan as Lestrade, his ineptness is such a great contrast to Holmes' more clever and inquisitive approach and I would have loved to have seen that come through more. Robert Downey Jnr once again is a very charismatic Holmes, and Jude Law as the more authoritative and composed character of Watson is also perfect. Again they are impeccably matched and work wonderfully together.

All in all, I found it very entertaining. Although there are a few things I preferred here, I did prefer the original, but this sequel compared to the film the trailers made it look is equally worthy. 7/10 Bethany Cox

So what's been happening lately?

There has been a series of bombings and assassinations across Europe and if these activities continue, war will erupt and Europe will become a field of casualties and devastation. And our favorite detective Sherlock Holmes suspects Professor James Moriarty as the mastermind behind all these events.

Meanwhile, amidst the bombings and destruction which are ravaging Europe, Sherlock Holmes's partner, Dr. John Watson is finally getting married with his fiancée Mary. After being engaged in the first film, they are finally getting married and a short funny wedding scene has been reserved in the film. They're even going for a honeymoon in Brighton. Or they were supposed to go for a honeymoon.

The train the couple boarded was filled with Moriarty's henchmen and a loud, explosive battle ensues eliminating any hopes of an upcoming honeymoon. Even though Watson had been planning to retire from adventuring with Holmes after his wedding, he reluctantly becomes Holmes's partner one more time while his wife is taken care of by Holmes's brother, Mycroft. And the duo will receive an additional member to form a trio: the mysterious gypsy Madam Simza. Together, they try to stop Moriarty from continuing his cruel schemes and Holmes learns about Moriarty's plan to start a war in which he will personally benefit from.

There are lots of action scenes that keep the film exciting and keep the film running in a constant, fast pace. The action sequences are louder, much more explosive, and much more energetic than the ones present in the predecessor. They are very loud, operatic, and exuberant. But some of the battle sequences are surprisingly quiet, such as a simple chess game held between Holmes and Moriarty. While you think a chess game would be boring, Guy Ritchie filmed it as if it was a grand battle. The sounds, the atmosphere, and the dialog adds another layer of tension and makes the chess game scene more atmospheric.

Not only the action scenes, but the humor here is outstanding. Most of the jokes and humor come from the titular character himself. His bizarre behavior, regardless of his intelligence add a layer of comedy to the film. His trademark hobby, disguising into several unexpected people is just purely entertaining. If it weren't for Robert Downey Jr., the humor here would have collapsed and become a disaster.

And of course, the acting and performances by the cast were brilliant and outstanding. Robert Downey Jr. is just brilliant in portraying the titular detective. He is admirable and he is really a man of talent. Don't worry, Jude Law also plays the role of Dr. John Watson perfectly. Together, they form an excellent chemistry. Also worth mentioning is Noomi Rapace as the mysterious gypsy Madam Simza, who not too long ago played the role of Lisbeth Salander in the original version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". Stephen Fry plays the role of Mycroft Holmes to perfection.

I'd like to take some time discussing the character of Professor James Moriarty. He is a very compelling villain. His professional life as a criminal mastermind is hidden beneath his profession as a professor in the University of Cambridge. He is much more intelligent, much more cunning, and much deadlier than Lord Blackwood of the previous film. While Holmes seems to be a detective that can do no wrong in the previous film, here, he will make mistakes. Here, he will feel pain. Moriarty is just a very powerful villain and a very suitable opponent for Holmes. (And remember the slow-motion scenes where Holmes elaborates his fighting strategies in his mind, Moriarty can do it too.) And to further compliment this is the performance of Jared Harris. While he may not look suitable as an antagonist, he actually makes a perfect choice.

However, the film uses too much slow-mo effects. This is largely noticeable in one particular scene which has an extensive use of slow-motion. I know the effect is mainly used to make it look more stylish but there is certainly too much of them. Running at a duration of 129 minutes, it could have been shortened if some of the slow-mo effects have been removed.

Not only the slow-mo effects, but this film seems to have lost its trademark element of mystery that is present in the first film. Even though there are some mystery present here, they are not as mind- boggling as the ones present in the first film. In the first film, there are just so many questions that popped up and Holmes really has something to work on. But here, it's not mysterious. You know the full details immediately.

Nevertheless, "A Game of Shadows" is a pleasant experience and a whole lot more fun than the original film. Its operatic action scenes will entertain the audience and its comedic scenes will add a layer of laughter. With powerful performances from the cast, this film is one not to be missed in this movie season.

Final Verdict: "A Game of Shadows" is a stylish, fast-paced, yet comedic adventure which improves upon its predecessor in several aspects, and surely a highly recommended film.

Rating: 8/10

Thanks for reading my review on "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows". I do hope this review is useful.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadow" picks up where the prequel left off; Holmes is tracking down Professor Moriarty, a man he believes is responsible for a series of bombings and mysterious deaths around world. With the help of his pal Watson (off to be married soon), and a gang of gypsies, which includes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's Noomi Rapace, set out on a game of cat-and-mouse to find the schemes of the sinister Professor.

Though there is an element of mystery in this film, it is not as in-depth as the first film. Rather the focus is on the action sequences and clever humor. This is not necessarily a bad thing though; in fact it helps move the plot along. The first film suffered because the story was slow. In this Holmes though, there is not one second that drags. The story itself is not special, but its pace is what counts. Walking out of the theater, I felt refreshed and glad that I saw this movie.

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are once again a true treat to watch as Holmes and Watson. Their chemistry and interactions are perfect; it's easy to tell that both had fun with the script and with each other. Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty gives a solid performance, as a cold, manipulative, power hungry villain. Unlike Mark Strong in the first film, he is a believable antagonist. Noomi Rapace is a nice flavor as Madam Sim.

The set and costume designs are exquisite, bringing to life of what Europe was like in the late 1800s. I smell Oscar for these departments. The sound and editing is crisply done, and the music is top-notched—Hans, you're truly the best. The visual effects are mostly good, but some scenes were a bit over the top and borderline ridiculous. One of many examples include a woman being thrown from a fast moving train into a river, without sustaining injury or even dying. This is impossible. Then again, it's Hollywood. The filmmakers aren't doing their job if a sense of the ridiculous is not thrown into an action flick from time to time.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadow" delivers as a great, action-packed, and a rather humorous, popcorn loving flick. Note: the dog dies again.

While we have new ingredients (= actors/characters) such as the girl formerly having a tattoo and a new bad guy, we also still have our beloved Holmes/Watson duo. And by that I mean the same actors in the role. Jude Law and especially Robert Downey Jr. having a lot of fun again and it shows.

Some other characters return and we have the "vision" mode in the movie again (at least that's what I call it and I'm sure you know what I mean if you've seen the first guy Ritchie Holmes). Making the Holmes movies is not easy. There is not only a rich written history but also quite a few movies. I have to admit that I wasn't thinking of either. Ritchie managed to create a world (especially with the first entry into his Holmes saga), that can be seen as standalone.

So if you liked the first one, you will like this one too. Even if you think you might be fed up by some of the neat tricks he's using or even if you expected Rachel McAdams to be back "big" in this movie too.

Doesn't matter how you look at it, this movie is darn good fun. I loved it from opening credits to the close. So what if the acting is a bit over the top, so what if there are probably too many explosions and bullets and bombs. The end result is a thoroughly entertaining 2 hours at the movies with popcorn and Pearl and Dean ads. Moriarty is sufficiently creepy and played with restraint, Holmes is completely over the top but for me if its Robert Downey Jr there are no complaints. The story keeps moving and the action is terrific. The story is loosely based on the last book of the Conan Doyle's first series of Holmes stories ending with the famous Reisenbach Falls in Switzerland. It also gives a great image of early 20th century on the brink of the first world war. If you want to enjoy a good story with great imagery and costume then you will enjoy this, if you are looking for Sherlock ( wonderfully called Shirley by Mycroft ) as Conan Doyle intended then you may be disappointed.