Making a sequel is inevitable these days. Making a sequel that is as good the original, very difficult. Making a sequel that is better then the original … near impossible. Sure there have been plenty of examples over the years. “The Godfather 2,” “Empire Strikes Back,” “The Dark Knight” … but these anomalies happen so far in-between that it’s shocking when it happens. Joyful movie-going bliss … but still shocking.
“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” is one of these anomalies.
Visually superb, deep in misdirection and excellent overall, director Guy Ritchie has delivered a near pitch-perfect addition to his take on the legend of the world’s greatest detective. Brining back the dynamic detecting duo of Robert Downey, Jr. (as Holmes himself) and Jude Law (Holme’s constant companion Dr. John Watson) and adding the consistently compelling Jared Harris (“Mad Men,” “Fringe”) as the brilliant baddy Professor James Moriarty, Ritchie has discovered a recipe for holiday magic.
Building on the drama from the first film, Holmes has become near manic in his quest to put the puzzling pieces of seemingly random crimes together. Meanwhile, terrorist attacks in France, Germany and England are bringing the countries to the brink of the unthinkable – a world war. How are the random crimes and the terrorism connected? Well … go see the movie.
While fun in the first film, Downey, Jr. outdoes himself as Holmes in “Shadows.” Growing from being just a genius clown, the Holmes character has evolved into a more rounded psycho who’s addiction for logic, truth and the constant drug/alcoholic buzz has pushed him into the sites of an evil that is just as intellectually savvy as he is if not more. With a deeper level of sadness and loneliness, this Holmes is a character that the audience can identify with, cheer for and most of all, be fearful for.
On the flip side, Harris as the evil of all evil’s Professor Moriarty is so good, you’ll … you’ll … I don’t know what you’ll do, but for sure you’ll want to see more. Subdued, calm, methodical and completely in control, Harris plays this villain to a near Hannibal Lector level performance. Never allowing the performance to become cliche, Harris commands the screen with a such an aura of authority that when he is politely threatening Holmes, you feel uncomfortable, a little scared and almost as if the threat was directed at you. Almost the opposite in terms of personality, Harris’ Moriarty is the ultimate foil for Downey, Jrs. Holmes and, while together on screen, you know you are matching two masters of their craft.
Rounding out the cast is the always enjoyable Law as Dr. Watson and while nothing really here is ground breaking in terms of his performance, Law does step up to the plate and remains relevant alongside Downey Jrs. performance. This film does use the character better than the previous film, but, with a deeper look, Watson is still like the damsel to hero and while intelligent, s still just a pawn in the game.
However, Noomi Rapace (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Swedish version) is an interesting breath of fresh air never allows herself to fall into the stereotypical female role among men. As the mysterious Madam Simza Heron, she is intimately entrenched in the nefarious shadows of Moriarty’s plans without her knowing it. Becoming the best ally in getting to the bottom of the plot, Heron teams up with the detecting duo across Europe and adds a refreshing splash of empowered woman to the mix. While not a knockout beauty, Rapace is gorgeous in her confidence and is able to seduce the audience in her pursuit for the truth and her ability to stand strong alongside Downey Jr. and Law.
With a ton of misdirection, the story is chalk full of detail, that while deep, never seems overwhelming or too confusing for the audience to follow. While the first film, in my opinion, was a more a “chase” versus “detecting” kind of film, this one is the latter and when clues or details reveal themselves, the payoffs are more fulfilling and enjoyable. This is especially true as the two sides come to a head and you realize what you’ve seen on the screen is only the beginning.
Along with that, the film, just like it’s predecessor is visually striking. From the dense, urban grunge of London to the lush history of Paris, the film follows effortlessly into each background with ease. At the same time, Ritchie’s patented visual trickery is full tilt this film. Ritchie has always used the slow-motion-to-fast-motion technique to his advantage in most of his films, and here, it seems, he really has it down. While at first glance it may seem that it is more of the same from the first film (or his other films), Ritchie modifies it just enough to make the special effects stronger and a little more, well, special. There is an especially intense action scene that possible could be, in my opinion (once again,) considered as one of the best on film this year if not all time. That’s pretty big words, but, in terms of tension, visual stimulation, sound and action, I was on the edge of my seat and while leaving the theater, it was clear that others were thinking the same thing. This scene isn’t the reason to see the film, but it is one of the reasons why the film is so good.
Overall, “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” will not disappoint this holiday season. While the temperature is dropping outside, Downey Jr. and company are heating up the theaters. While a little long with a few scenes that seem unnecessary – if not a little fun – there is little to find wrong with this film. Strong performances all around with the two leads, Downey Jr. and Harris, giving us a great battle of intellects. An epic action scene is just the cream onto that makes this a tasty holiday treat.
4 out 5 Shots of Turkey Adrenaline
