Review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) by Dean M — 07 Mar 2013

The sequel film is absolutely fantastic and excitement - no disappointment!

The first in the film series was pure popcorn cinema; there was no takeaway from it but being very pleasantly amused for a couple of hours. The sequel is just the same proposition, only tighter and with greater scale. Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) are this time locked in a battle of wits and witticisms with Moriarty (Jared Harris). The plot is secondary and often baffling, but beside the point - this is about the adventure, not the mystery. Where the first film was light on Guy Ritchie's directorial fingerprints, this feels very much his bold, fast-slow style, particularly a forest shoot-out that is thrillingly stylish. It's refreshing to watch a big-budget movie that isn't concerned with leaving some artistic legacy, just a big smile on your face.

The practically blink-and-you-will-miss them moments for Rachel McAdams and Eddie Marsan feel more like Richie peddling to the fans, as opposed to actually serving a real point to the film. It is fun seeing them show up again, but considering they have little to no effect on the plot, they could have easily just never showed up at all.

Noomi Rapace as mysterious gypsy Madam Sim is a nice flavour. The set and costume designs are exquisite, bringing to life of what Europe was like in the late 1800s.