Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Like most people, I was dubious at first about Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes back in 2009. The idea of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s master sleuth being turned into an action hero seemed like some kind of cultural sacrilege. But when the film came out and received surprisingly positive reviews, I went to see it, and I am glad that I did. Although the filmmakers had pumped up Doyle’s brief mentions of Holmes’ boxing skill and martial arts knowledge, the personalities and interactions of the main characters were dead-on. Robert Downey Jr. made a fantastic Holmes, and Jude Law’s Watson was quite possibly the best depiction of the character ever. The film was perhaps my most pleasant surprise at the movies that year, and the sequel hook at the end left me eagerly awaiting more.
I’m happy to report that Ritchie, Downey Jr., Law, and company have avoided the sophomore slump, and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a very worthy sequel that is definitely on par with, and possibly surpasses, the first film. The filmmakers manage to recapture the same tone and feeling without treading the same ground. They take the characters we loved and put them through a new, surprisingly dark and dramatic plot, without losing the sense of fun. Without spoiling anything, the story went places and did things I was genuinely not expecting.
As the film starts, the year is 1891, and a series of bombings and assassinations have pushed the nations of Europe to the brink of war. Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) is convinced that the events all lead back to one man – Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris). Meanwhile, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) has finally tied the knot with his fiancée Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), and is looking forward to life without crime-fighting. But when Holmes interferes in Moriarty’s plans, their battle of wits turns deadly and personal. Holmes and Watson, with the help of Sim (Noomi Rapace), a Gypsy fortune teller, and Sherlock’s brother Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry), are drawn into an investigation that leads them across the continent. Along the way, they uncover a plot which, if it succeeds, could forever change the course of history.
As with the first film, the biggest strength of A Game of Shadows is the central dynamic between Holmes and Watson. Downey Jr. and Law still have great chemistry, and come across as friends who care deeply for each other, even when they’re at odds. While the two of them are obviously the stars, the rest of the cast holds their own. In particular, Fry as Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s equally brilliant but lazier brother, is a welcome addition, and provides some of the funniest moment in the film.
After Mark Strong’s excellent turn as original villain Lord Blackwood in the first film, the sequel had a lot to live up to in terms of bad guys. But Moriarty and his second-in-command Colonel Sebastian Moran (Paul Anderson), both from the Holmes canon, are great villains in A Game of Shadows. Harris’ Moriarty looks every inch the unassuming university professor, but his eyes and his voice convey just what a dangerous man he is. Moran is here reinterpreted as a former British Army sharpshooter and veteran of the British war in Afghanistan, making him essentially an evil counterpart to Watson. Moriarty is the chess-master manipulating events from behind the scenes, while Moran carries out assassinations and other dirty work. The two characters have a great villain-henchman dynamic which reminded me of other such pairings from the old Bond films, such as Auric Goldfinger and Oddjob.
Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Photo by Daniel Smith – © 2011 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. – U.S., Canada, Bahamas & Bermuda,.2011 Village Roadshow Films (BVI) Limited – All Rights Reserved.
The action scenes in the film are excellent, and continue to show that Guy Ritchie can choreograph fistfights and shootouts like nobody’s business. The filmmakers also wisely give each action sequence its own distinct setting, style, and pace, keeping things nicely varied; none of the scenes feel like a retread of the first film.
However, the film is not perfect. Noomi Rapace is a great actress, but her character of Sim ultimately does not play a vital role in the storyline and is seemingly only here to fulfill the perceived requirement of a female lead. More of a problem is that some of the jokes are a little too broad and silly compared to the generally understated humor of the first film, and don’t gel with the sequel’s overall darker storyline. This leads to some unfortunate instances of mood whiplash. And I think that Ritchie could stand to use less slow-motion during the action scenes.
But those relatively minor quibbles don’t ruin the experience of what is an all-around fun, entertaining, and enjoyable film. With thrilling action, funny humor, enjoyable characters, and a plot that managed to surprise me, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is excellent holiday season entertainment. I for one hope we’ll get at least one more adventure with this particular Holmes and Watson.
Timothy Monforton
