Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Rating: 5/10 (19 December 2012)

The first film was alright, whether critics have changed their minds and given it a higher rating is up to them, I think three out of five stars was fair, I expected there to be a sequel, and sure enough there was, directed by Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch.). Basically Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) is soon to be married to his sweetheart Mary (Eden Lake's Kelly Reilly) and will therefore end his partnership with the famous detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.), who is trying to get his assistance in the investigation of arch nemesis Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris). It turns out however that the Watsons will be part of the scheme after all when Moriarty sees them as a threat and targets them, but Sherlock saves them with his mastery of disguise and intelligence to think and conclude something before it happens. After getting married John does agree to join Sherlock in one last case, and to help them they are joined by gypsy Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace) and get some help from Sherlock's older brother Mycroft (Stephen Fry), it is Heron's brother Rene (Laurence Possa) who may be the key to the whole investigation. It turns out there is a big international conspiracy with the Napoleon of Crime where Moriarty is leading an assassination attempt, and the trio have to try and catch the unknown man before he can take his shot, or Europe will go to chaos. The villain in the end is defeated when he and Sherlock plunge from a balcony to the rocky abyss below, so it is assumed that Holmes died in the fall as well, of course the story will surely continue as his disguise skill is proved again watching his friend Watson talking about how he misses him. Also starring Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler, Paul Anderson as Colonel Sebastian Moran, Eddie Marsan as Inspector Lestrade, Geraldine James as Mrs. Hudson, Wolf Kahler as Doctor Hoffmanstahl and Clive Russell as Captain Tanner. As with the first film Downey Jr. proves a witty and eccentric choice for the more sophisticated non deerstalker hat and pipe smoking detective, and Law continues to be cynical and easy to irritate with his partner's rambling and over-explanations, the story is slightly difficult to understand at times, but the action sequences keep you happy enough, it is a fun period mystery thriller. Worth watching!