Super-stylish, steampunky fun for everyone!

Rating: 9/10 (30 December 2011)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is as good, if not better than its predecessor "Sherlock Holmes". Robert Downey Jnr. and Jude Law reprise their roles as Homes and Watson respectively, giving expected, predictable, but absolutely fantastic performances. Downey Jnr's histrionic performance and Law's straight faced ex-military doctor has such brilliant chemistry between them, clearly the actors themselves like each other(although, they seem more like a married couple than friends).
The camera work is clever, and the editing is fast-paced and very Hollywood. In a good way. The smoky, dusty, steamy, misty cityscape of victorian London is iconic, British, and provides a stable substrate for the real action to take place.
Dialogue is simple, effective and funny, especially Holmes, often switching between English and French, with wisps of German thrown in. But don't worry, there are no subtitles and the narrative is easily followable even if the words are gibberish.
Noomi Rapace (Girl with a Dragon tattoo Original) is the cunning (and remarkably sexy) gypsy who helps Holmes and Watson to deduce the tricks and traps laid by the fabulous Moriarty.
Moriarty amazingly portrayed by Jared Harris, and is possibly the best character in the whole film. Cool, calm, but very very intimidating, Harris uses his silence to scare the audience and is the binary opposite to Holmes, but yet very similar in some ways.
I won't say much, but the final scene is sensationally composed by the former "cult" director Guy Ritchie.
You don't need to see the original film to be able to follow A Game of Shadows' narrative. In fact, there aren't really any references to the first film at all.
If you like a stunning visual style, with British brains and American brauns then Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is definitely suitable for you!
9/10