Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows – A bombastic and rollicking good time

In Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, the sequel to director Guy Ritchie‘s first Sherlock Holmes adaptation, we join Sherlock Holmes, played again by Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder, Iron Man, Heart and Souls) as he grumbles about his old partner Dr. Waston, played by Jude Law (Hugo, A.I. Artificial Intelligence) — the doctor is about to get married, you see, to his fiance (Kelly Reilly). But enough of that, there’s a mystery afoot because buildings are being blown up! Sherlock suspects Professor Moriarty, played by Jared Harris (Mad Men), who had worked with Holmes’ “sort of” girlfriend Irene Adler, played by Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls) in the previous film as well. Hot on the trail of clues, Holmes runs into gypsy fortuneteller Madam Simza, played by Noomi Rapace (the Danish original version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) — whose brother may just be involved as well.

But although the Waston wedding goes off reasonably well, the honeymoon … Watson and Holmes head off to mainland Europe to find out what Moriarty is up to, while Mrs. Watson is kept safe with Sherlock’s equally brilliant and odd brother Mycroft, played by famed Briton Stephen Fry. And all this while the shadow of War seems to be present at all times — can Sherlock discover Moriarty’s plot in time to prevent the collapse of Western civilization? Will Watson ever see his wife again? And will Sherlock finally admit he misses having Watson around (probably not this last one)?

This movie is a great time, with action from beginning to end. Robert Downey Jr. is excellent again as Sherlock Holmes, portraying that blend of intelligence and psychopathy in equal amounts. Jude Law is again a sort of straight man, but he is more than up to the challenge of playing against Downey. Stephen Fry is utterly hilarious as a different sort of nutty intellectual, and steals every scene he’s in. Unfortunately though, Noomi Rapace’s acclaimed dramatic chops are a bit out of sorts with the tone of the movie — she’s in a far more serious one, but I wouldn’t say she’s bad exactly. Just misplaced. And Jared Harri’s Moriarty — fantastic. He is more than equal to Robert Downey Jr’s Holmes in arrogance — but even more of a sociopath. Of course, Guy Ritchie’s fast paced, slow motion filled direction is not for everyone, but I quite liked it.

Now the mystery of the movie wasn’t so complicated, especially compared to the first movie. But without giving it away — the movie goes into quite interesting places, to the point where you might not know what will happen next. And for a Sherlock Holmes adaptation of any sort, that’s a good thing.

Categories: Reviews, Theater Releases