Review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) by Stevenf — 22 Jul 2013

There is clever sleight of hand and easy on the eye set pieces which make the second outing of the stylised Sherlcok Holmes equally as enjoyable but more rich in bells and whistles to please fans of Guy Ritchie's interpretation, its best to forget what you know about Arthur Conan Doyle creation, this is very much a build on the person Robert Downey Jr brought to life in the first outing, not a bad thing at all.

The elements of the book have been maintained, as Downey Jr takes the coveted role of the brilliant but erratic detective, joined again by soon to be married John Watson (Jude Law), and they are now faced with the most infamous of villains, Moriarty, played with elegance and encapsulating style by Jared Harris. Holmes and Watson embark on quite the round trip as they attempt to put a halt to a range of atrocities, all pointing to Moriarty, who remains in low profile and is able to cover his tracks without anyone ever suspecting him, until Sherlock Holmes comes along.

Accompanying the film are the beautiful and groundbreaking slow-motion effects of the first, where we see various scenes up close and all that can be done is to sit back and admire. The set pieces are magnificent and satisfying to watch unfold, especially a spectacular train scene that oozes excitement and comedy in every way imaginable. In terms of the story, while there is plenty of explosive action, enough time is spared and used wisely to create some very memorable scenes between Holmes and Moriarty, with Downey Jr and Harris doing stellar jobs of showing the equal wit and intellectual prowess of the two characters, but also giving them their own personality separate from the countless other interpretations.

While it may be brimming with these intelligent lines and excellent writing, its the cast who make it look good, with Stephen Fry taking on the role of Mycroft, the rich and comedic brother of Sherlock, while Noomi Rapace plays Madame Simza, a fortune teller who gets tangled in the complex web of Holmes and his enemies.

A rapturous second outing for this updated take on the classic detective series, with a powerful cast who each give brilliant performances, combine that with a witty, unpredictable and edgy script that is careful to remain true to its roots, but also leave director Guy Ritchie with plenty of room to breathe, its along show but certainly worth each minute that always feels important.