There really is little mystery behind what makes “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” so entertaining. In fact the answer is quite elementary. Here we have a sequel that takes every successful component of the original and improves upon it. With better action, better intrigue and a better villain, this movie will not disappoint.
It is 1891 in a beautifully computer rendered London where we find our flawed hero who has lost his mind a little and taken to drinking embalming fluid while chewing on coca leaves. It seems that Dr. Watson (Jude Law) has left Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) to his own devises again which is never a good idea. The mad Holmes is in the midst of dissecting his biggest case and has already named his foe: a Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris).
Much like the first time around Watson is reluctant to assist as he is to be married to his lovely Mary (Kelly Reilly) and settle down to a quiet, domesticated life with quiet, domesticated trips to Brighton with the wife and future children. Holmes, with his debilitating co-dependency on his dear doctor, is not excited about the news. Yet, despite Holmes’ honest efforts, Watson is quickly caught up in the adventure and the two must battle the sinister Moriarty together if they are to save the civilized world from destruction.
The mystery is densely woven and near impossible for the viewer to decipher. At least I was clueless to the what and why of it all, but I have never been good with this sort of thing. Anything beyond “Blue’s Clues” and I’m hopeless.
Regardless of the viewer’s ability to fully comprehend the details, it is a thrill to watch events unfold. The film has plenty of big, loud action scenes (there is a doozy that features Watson and Holmes running through a forest as the trees around them are reduced to splinters) that rival anything in your average giant, dumb summer movie. But it is the intelligence behind the plot and its players that sets “Sherlock Holmes” apart.
Director Guy Ritchie (“Snatch,” the first “Holmes”) creates an authentic world and has taken his love for violence another step further. The action is staged much like the original film but with more control. We, once again, go into Holmes’ mind as he deconstructs each situation and formulates a bloody outcome but this time around it is a more elaborate process. Ritchie also expertly moves his camera through chaotic moments, slowing the bedlam down and speeding up again much like Zack Snyder’s technique used in “300”. The result is jaw dropping and it makes you wonder if the British director truly has his actors beat each other senseless to get those intimate and gruesome shots.
The film swept me up and entertained the hell out of me. Nearly all elements worked. Hans Zimmer score was perfectly matched, especially the hyper strings used during the amped up violence. Zimmer employed actual gypsies from Europe to enhance the film’s music and the result is exhilarating. Noomi Rapace (the original “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) is underused as the gypsy Simza. She is present in almost every scene, she just isn’t allowed to do anything.
The chemistry between Law and Downey is delightful. This franchise, mixed with the whole “Iron Man”/”The Avengers” project, has established Robert Downey Jr. as the definitive action star of the last few years. No joke. Stallone, Segal, Van Damme and Downey Jr. Who saw that coming? The difference is Downey can act and exudes an intelligence that is unparalleled. You never doubt him as a genius that can power-punch his way out of any situation.