Review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) by Clarisesamuels — 21 Dec 2011

Rarely do we see a sequel outstrip the original, and "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" is no exception. There appears to be a desire to reproduce some of the ambience of a Harry Potter film, which I noticed in the first Holmes project as well.

In the original film, there was a pronounced and very dark occult theme; in the sequel the occult theme is lessened but vaguely represented by a gypsy character played by Noomi Rapace (from "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," original Swedish production).

She reads Tarot cards and hangs out with a gypsy band of wild, unbathed, petty thieves. She adds a colorful touch to the plot, although we see only a fraction of the intensity she generated in the Dragon Tattoo film.

Jude Law's Watson seems to be as prevalent as Robert Downey's Holmes. Moriarty, played by Jared Harris, and Holmes are engaged in a violent physical and mental conflict to outwit each other. Moriarty is the incarnation of evil; Holmes is the hero and the good guy, a mantle he accepts with humor and a modest sense of grace.

As a period piece set in 1891, there is much attention to detail--dress styles, ballrooms, weaponry, automobiles, etc. But the action-packed film is greatly dependent on shootouts and physical violence--dialogue and subtle intrigue cannot carry the plot.

No matter how many times Holmes gets pummeled, he always bounces back in the next scene with only one or two scratches on his face, even after a giant tower practically falls on his head. His genius is characterized by a strange ability to note every detail with lightning speed, portrayed by fast-paced camera cuts.

Action scenes are often frozen in slow motion, like a silent dream, then sound and normal speed are suddenly resumed. These camera tricks may be necessary to distract the viewer from the dullness of the plot.

Despite the authenticity, Holmes says something about Watson getting a "nosh," which is a little startling. True, the Yiddish word, "nashn", which means "to snack," is derived from Middle High and Old High German; nevertheless, as a slang word that slipped into the English language, it can only be traced back to the 1950's.

Too late for the very Protestant Sherlock Holmes, unless the Jewish community in London gave the Brits a head start on Yiddish expressions. Rachel McAdams reappears in this sequel, only to have her character killed off in the first fifteen minutes of the film.

Surprising, since A-list actors never get killed off right away. Did McAdams have a busy schedule, or did she get fired by producer Susan Downey after sharing a rare, onscreen kiss with the producer's husband Robert Downey, Jr.

? (It is a bit of a running joke among Downey fans that his wife, also his producer and boss, does not like to see him do love scenes.) The ending is an unembarrassed attempt to prepare us for Sherlock Holmes 3.

And jealous and insecure wives aside, in the end the best reason to see this film is to have another opportunity to lose yourself in the large, soul-filled, liquid brown eyes of Robert Downey, Jr.