Game of Shadows is a laugh and thrill-packed adventure

Rating: 8/10 (16 December 2011)

Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows follows the pattern of the first movie with Sherlock & Dr. Watson facing off against an evil villain. In this second going around, the great chemistry and interaction of Sherlock & Dr. Watson take the movie to a whole new level of fun and laughs.
I enjoyed the director's style in the movie, though many people will not. The director uses many unique views and lots of slow motion and stop action to highlight the realism of the film. In addition, the director's goes both back in time to highlight how Sherlock unravels specific mysteries and forward in time to visually walkthrough Sherlock's anlaysis of a situation. The style is unique and dynamic.
While Robert Downey Jr. has the central role as Sherlock, Jude Law steals the movie with his portrayal of Dr. Watson. Throughout the movie, the pair have great interactions, and their back-and-forth dialogue generates lots of funny moments. Robert Downey Jr. carries off the eccentricities of Sherlock with great enthusiasm, but Dr. Watson's expanded role adds to the depth of their relationship.
A pleasant surprise in the film was the introduction of Sherlock Holmes' brother, who added some charm and comedy to the film in his small role. On the other hand, I was somewhat disappointed in Sherlock's nemesis Dr. Moriarty. The actor did a competent job, but the role didn't live up to the hype of Sherlock's ultimate foe.
Overall, Game of Shadows was enjoyable with an interesting story line, lots of action, and plenty of laughs. However, many will be put off my the director's unique, in-your-face style, which I enjoyed.