Oh Robert Downey Jr., how you manage to continually captivate audiences with your wit and charm boggles my mind. And now you’re back with borderline psycho intellect and perseverance as the famed detective Sherlock Holmes, a man known for his excellent fighting skills and wonderfully hilarious disguises. The second and superior installment of the adventures of Mr. Holmes is directed by Guy Ritchie, the man who brought us the first film, and is titled Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
Professor Moriarty is an intelligent math professor who seems to be rising in the power ranks around Europe, only his ways are far more cynical and selfish compared to most of those that rise to great heights. With Watson about to settle down with his wife to be and Sherlock about to blow a new and very complicated case wide open, the two must join forces once again, along with the help of a gypsy named Madam Simza and Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft, if they want to take down their most intelligent and fiercest adversary to date. The beauty of the film lies within its story and so I shall not divulge any further information for fear that I might spoil Guy Ritchie’s sequel.
Returning to the big screen as Mr. Holmes himself is Robert Downey Jr. along with his sidekick Dr. Watson, played wonderfully by Jude Law. While Rachel McAdams and Eddie Marson both make appearances, they are short lived and are of rather little importance (in my opinion at least). The main newcomers are Noomi Repace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as Simza, the great character actor Jared Harris (Mad Men) as Professor Moriarty and Stephan Fry (V for Vendetta) as Mycroft Holmes. All of the actors and actresses do outstanding jobs, and while I would love to give all the praise to Downey and Law, it’s impossible not to acknowledge how good Harris and Fry were in their roles; one with his sinister intellect and the other a slightly dimwitted and carefree buffoon that also happens to be Sherlock’s brother. Noomi Repace was good, especially when it came to the action, but she didn’t have many lines or much screen time that would allow her to showcase her talents (just wait until Prometheus).
Like the first, the movie is very fun and entertaining ride that I believe most people would love to hop on. Even with its slower lulls, the picture moves at the same pace at which Sherlock Holmes speaks, ridiculously fast. This helps prevent you from dozing off because as soon as you think you are getting bored something blows up, someone gets hit or makes you laugh; the key to a fun film. Just imagine Sherlock Holmes riding a horse or trying to kill and revitalize Watson’s dog again. It’s fantastic!
Guy Ritchie maintained the same style he brought to the first film, utilizing slow motion techniques during the massive action sequences and when Holmes is deducing how he plans to fight back against those that are attempting to kill him. Additionally, Ritchie, along with the screenwriters, managed to make the film ever-so-slightly darker in tone which is what helped enhance the devastating nature of the mystery we, the audience, are trying to solve along with Holmes.
Overall, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is the type of sequel you hope every sequel could be, a film that manages to be better than the first. We have an excellent villain who manages to match Sherlock’s intellect, the continued use of very witty dialogue, great comedic timing, and explosive action sequences and chases that will rock the house and get your blood pumping. I guess what I’m trying to say is that this movie is worth the money and cinematic experience, especially if you were a fan of the first one.
Rating: An explosive mystery film chock full of intellect, wittiness, and mostly everything you’d ever want from a Sherlock Holmes film (6.3/10)
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