> REVIEW
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Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011)
The game is afoot…
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By Conor Hunter | December 2011
DIRECTOR: Guy Ritchie
WRITER(s): Michele Mulroney/Kieran Mulroney/Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (source)
Guy Ritchie returns to direct Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson respectively in this follow-up to the 2009 sleeper hit Sherlock Holmes. Unsurprisingly, A Game of Shadows is even more action-packed, its protagonist even more eccentric and its plot even more farcical than the original. Everything that made the first outing such a success: Downey and Law’s chemistry, beautiful Victorian settings and the high-octane, light-hearted action sequences have been retained and heightened, though Holmes’ character especially is edging upon a caricature of itself.
Noomi Rapace plays new love-interest Si, and while she gives a worthy and well-balanced performance, her underdeveloped character is nowhere near as interesting as Rachel McAdam’s Irene Adler from the first film. Meanwhile, Steven Fry puts in an excellent comedic performance as Holmes’ brother Mycroft. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle based the character of Mycroft on Oscar Wilde so it is perhaps unsurprising that Fry, who was nominated for a golden globe for his role as the titular protagonist of Wilde, takes to the role so easily.
The best performance by far is Jarred Harris’ portrayal of Holmes’ most famous and most cunning adversary Professor James Moriarty. From the moment he is introduced he oozes the menace of a psychopathic genius. In contrast to Downey’s portrayal of Holmes as an eccentric and clowning trickster, Harris makes Moriarty utterly controlled and calculating, but no less cunning and certainly no less insane.
The balance between Holmes as the cunning detective and the action hero has been heavily weighted towards the latter. The instances of his brilliant deduction become more incidental and some of the time it seems like Holmes possesses Jedi powers rather than heightened observation and logic skills. Genius is actually demonstrated far more on the part of Moriarty and it does start to feel like Holmes gets lucky a few too many times. The overarching plot effectively increases the threat and the stakes from the original film and allows for a greater variety of exotic locations. The final piece of detection work however, revolves around a premise that is just too ridiculous, even for Ritchie’s incarnation of the Sleuth.
The final showdown between Holmes and Moriarty, which was never shown in the original story, is a beautifully shot and well-paced confrontation, that builds an incredible sense of tension and hostility. The sequence is surprisingly toned-down considering the over-the-top guns-blazing approach Ritchie takes with the rest of the film, emphasis is firmly placed upon the battle of wits between the two adversaries. Action-junkies needn’t worry however as this subtle and powerful scene is immediately followed by an awkward and unnecessary action sequence, which almost feels like Ritchie apologising for letting fifteen minutes pass without an explosion, cheap joke or fist-fight.
A Game of Shadows is a well-made and fitting sequel to its predecessor, the effective pairing of Downey and Law is complemented by an impressive supporting cast. While the film does push the elements of ridiculousness and farce even further, it just about manages to get away with it, though one can’t help but feel the inevitable next outing might just tip the series over the edge of believability.
Script…………………………………………………………………………………………….
The basis of Michele and Kieran’s Mulroney’s plot is farcical and a lot of the
detection has been toned down, but there is still enough balance of wit, action
and humour to keep the piece engaging. 3
Direction………………………………………………………………………………………..
Ritchie delivers another fast-paced action-adventure with all his usual slow-mo
tricks; however he does sometimes make Holmes seem more superhero than a
man of superior intelligence and perception. 3
Verdict…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Fry and Harris bring freshness to the series, but the over-reliance on comedy
and action means Game Of Shadows falls just short of its predecessor. 3
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