Just one sequence is worth it.

Rating: 4/10 (24 January 2012)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) The certainly most famous detective of all times returns in an action packed adventure of lies and treachery. Holmes and his side kick Watson are trying to assemble bits and pieces of a puzzle to find out the identity of the person who is behind terrorist attacks, that took place in Europe, and foil his evil plans.
After watching over half an hour, trying to find out where all this was going, I found myself closing my eyes (unwillingly) for a couple of minutes, because of boredom, simply bad slapstick comedy and more then horrendous storytelling. The Screenplay is predictable, yet ununderstandable, trying to hard on creating a suspenseful script a la Robert Ludlum. Nevertheless, after an hour we get to know where the screenwriter wants to take us, but the beginning is just messy.
The Direction and the photography (technically speaking) have pros and contras - I appreciated a lot the use of tripods and other technical devices like travelling or steady cam to get some clean still shots at the actors and make the action more comprehensible. Specially nowadays, that most Hollywood action movies are shot with shaky cam. Simply embarrassing. - Less appreciated, was the fact of non innovative narrating, everything is as we expect it to be. The fighting sequences are rather slow, using multiple slow motions, way over used and sometimes repeating the same action too often which kills the surprise effect
The editing is likable in most non violent sequences. During the fights, it is flashy and unbearable at most. Already seen jump cuts in the time motion makes the action anything else then fluid. The rhythm of the whole narration is rather deceiving, boring and maybe too distracting sometimes.
The actors did quite well. But I wouldn't throw flowers on the stage either.
I am not wise in special effects but they are mostly well done and I must admit that I was quite impressed in the forest bombing sequence. The Time Motion jump cut was rather pleasant, I would even say needed if not, actually impressive in that sequence.
Anyway, Guy Ritchie has proved to me once more, that he is a very talented director who lost it all after Snatch. Not even with a Blockbuster, bearing the name of one of the most respected Man on earth ever, was he capable of returning to his magnificence of filmmaking. For me, Guy is a one hit wonder and will always be. 4 out of 10 for an unmemorable movie, but a plus for one impressive sequence.