Even Better than the First Movie; Fans Should Love It

Rating: 9/10 (4 September 2012)

I really enjoyed Guy Ritchie's first SHERLOCK HOLMES. So I should warn those who didn't, you may as well just move along. But if you're like me and thought his first movie was a fun new spin on the classic character, then you'll probably have a blast here because it's even better the second time around. The second movie ramps everything up to the next level with a stronger story and better action sequences while retaining all of the fun elements of the first film. I haven't gotten tired of this series yet, and if Ritchie can keep the movies as entertaining as they've been, I hope we'll get a few more out of him. A GAME OF SHADOWS adopts elements from the Holmes tale "The Final Problem" (one of Doyle's stories I haven't had a chance to read) with the battle of wits between Holmes and his nemesis. As the movie begins, Holmes and Watson have gone their separate ways as Watson prepares for the approaching marriage to his fiancée Mary. Meanwhile, Holmes is deep into his latest investigation surrounding recent events: bombings, suspicious deaths, countries on the brink of war. All of the trails he has uncovered converge on one man: Professor James Moriarty. Holmes fears that Moriarty's plans might have worldwide consequences and enlists the aid of his trusted colleague Watson one last time in a bid to uncover the nefarious plot and put an end to it. But Holmes may have met his intellectual match in the professor
You won't hear me complaining about Ritchie's action-infused version of the classic detective. If you want the usual Holmes sleuthing, there are hundreds of other sources out there, but I like to think Ritchie's movies maintain the heart of Holmes while adding a nice action punch to kick it up a notch. I love the "Holmesavision" method of sharing Holmes' train of thought and bring the audience into his mind while he does his does best. There's an awesome moment in the final act of the film where we experience to two genius minds attempting to out-smart each other when Holmes confronts Moriarty. It was a cool means of bringing something new to my favorite element of these movies. The story is fun, with Holmes and Watson breaking free from the confines of England to travel Europe in their pursuits this time around. The action sequences are bigger and more extravagant and Ritchie loads it up with his slow-motion/ramped speed, stop-n-go style. Another aspect I appreciated in the film, the stakes definitely feel higher. There are a few moments in the movie where I genuinely wondered if all of the characters would make it out alive, and at times wondered if Ritchie planned on ending the franchise here before it went any further. A GAME OF SHADOWS is a total blast, and I'd go so far as to say it was one of my favorite movies of 2012. My only concern is that it couldn't be topped in a third movie. The scope on this one is about as large as a good Holmes movie can get without going too over-the-top, and they've already brought out the detectives most cunning enemy: Moriarty.
If you want to make a blockbuster icon out of Sherlock Holmes, you can't do better than Robert Downey Jr. He continues to be great in the role, even if he does come off as a little cartoonish this time around. RDJ brings equal parts eccentric and intelligent to the character and comes across as just shy of insane. Jude Law is again the perfect straightman as John Watson. He looks like he's having more fun this time and has a few funny moments of his own. Rachel McAdams was my least favorite part of the first movie and I'm happy to say her character, Irene Adler, receives no more than 5 minutes of screen time. The best characters in this movie, though, are the newcomers. Stephen Fry (as Mycroft Holmes) and Jared Harris (Moriarty) steal their scenes. Harris was a great choice for Moriarty. There had been a lot of early talk that Ritchie and the producers had been considering some A-list names for the character, but it worked so much better with Harris. He's confident, conniving, and sociopathic. He's a perfect Moriarty for this sort of Holmes film. Noomi Rapace (from the Swedish Millennium trilogy) has a role as a gypsy fortuneteller drawn into the chase, but she hasn't got much to do here.
Whether or not A GAME OF SHADOWS is worth your time all boils down to whether you are a fan of Ritchie's vision for the character. Being a fan of the first, I absolutely loved this one. It's an action-oriented SHERLOCK HOLMES on a bigger scale and an excellent chess match in the final act to sum up the battle of two great minds.