Better Than The First? Definitely.

Rating: 10/10 (8 January 2012)

When I went to see the first Sherlock Holmes, I was expecting a decent movie with a few comedic moments, and that's what I got. While I loved it, there weren't a lot of 'big' moments in the film. I expected the same for the second one. Boy, was I underestimating Guy Ritchie.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows surpasses the first film by miles. The chemistry between Holmes and Watson was more evident in this movie and a lot of emphasis was put on it in some scenes. The characters were well-developed and I felt connected to all of them. The slow-motion action sequences absolutely blew my mind.
Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law were so in character that I honestly forgot I was watching them act. Their chemistry was flawless and it made the movie so much more enjoyable. I can't even touch on how good Jared Harris did portraying Professor Moriarty. He was excellent. The electricity between Holmes and Moriarty during the chess sequence near the end of the film drew me so into the movie that I don't think I touched a piece of popcorn for a half an hour.
Some people think that the slow-motion sequences were overdone. I personally think they were necessary. Arthur Conan Doyle gave attention to the fact that Holmes can 'see everything around him.' Guy Ritchie and the visual effects crew accomplished this by using multiple camera angles and slowing down the footage to show everything that is happening. It puts you in Sherlock's mind; it lets you understand how he sees things, and that makes you so much more attached to the character.
I can ramble on about this movie to no end. Everything about it was excellent. From the small details to the big picture, everything you love about the old Sherlock Holmes stories comes alive in this film. Every emotion I can think of came out of me while watching this. I laughed, I cried, I almost screamed at the characters, I cringed. This is definitely one of the best films I've seen in a while.