2011s Action Genre ends with the release of Director Guy Ritchie’s Explosive, Action-Packed Sequel. The film begins sometime after the first with Inspector Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Junior) after the notorious and mysterious criminal Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris).
The Sequel throws viewers straight into the action from the get go and never lets down as the action keeps on coming bigger and faster. The plot may be hard to understand at times but like the previous film all obvious explanations are given and it ever tries to bore its audience as comedy, globe-trotting and explosives are jammed packed together to deliver a stunning film that rivals that of the first and thus becoming a much bigger movie for it in scale and this is shown in the amazing set-pieces that range from a Train Battle to a amazing Forest Chase Sequence that implements the exciting slow-motion to its fullest potential.
If people were worried that it would be over-used it never feels like it or is. Its used when it has to be and the cinematography for these Fight Scenes are what make this and its predecessor somewhat unique, because each blow feels real and painful and ball-crunching satisfying to watch.
Performance wise the film offers nothing new when it comes to the acting chops of Robert and Jude Law who returns as the faithful sidekick Dr. Watson. If you loved these two in the first film then nothing much else has been changed except for the more Bro-mance that is thrown in to up the relationship between the two including some hilarious scenes involving Kelly Reilly who also returns as Watson’s now wife Mary including a surprising casting and performance of Stephen Fry as Mycroft, Sherlock’s Brother who also joins in to up the comedy.
Rachel McAdams returns as Irene Adler for a quick appearance to bridge the gaps to the previous film and Noomi Rapace (Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Trilogy) takes the spot for the new female lead as Gypsy Fortune Teller Simza who joins Holmes and Watson on their mission out of personal reasons.
Unlike her two male escorts, Noomi’s character doesn’t add much to the development of the other characters besides just helping to advance the plot and move it forward and sadly her role here is painfully pointless and could’ve been somewhat written out because in the end besides McAdams or the more talented Kelly Reilly already introduced and developed, Noomi’s character is there only to be a female presence among a film filled with action men.
Paul Anderson (Not WS Anderson, Thank God) stars as the film’s villainous Henchmen to Jarred Harris Professor Moriarty whose performance beside Robert makes their scenes stand out the most over the hail of bullets and explosives. Theirs is a Game of wits or Shadows as the films title overshadows and their final encounter is reminisce of the Sherlock Holmes novel “The Final Problem”. Harris is devious, cunning and brutal and portrays himself as Robert’s complete opposite, giving this film a brilliant portrayal of the character and not cliché as many others as his villain is a mastermind who doesn’t mouth off his grand plan and lets things unfold from the behind the scenes.
The Audience pretty much knows as much as Holmes does and it keeps the surprises and twists for the conclusion exciting and original even if at times it can be seen forced.
In Conclusion, Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows is a fun, action-adventure that delivers on almost everything a longer and bigger sequel should do but some will, myself included perhaps find the previous one a more masterful-made film but that never makes this one seem less because it is as everyway clever and wonderfully executed as the first one that surpasses some aspects of the original in everyway.
However, with some loose-ends still left open a third one is inevitable and sadly I wish this wasn’t so and the film had ended in such a way that if a third one was to be made it would be a Prequel because I don’t see what else could possibly top what this sequel has managed to achieve.
Overall…8/10
LIKES:
· Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty.
· Action Scenes.
· Final Battle.
· Hans Zimmer’s Soundtrack is glorious as always. “Moral Insanity”.
· Robert and Jude’s Performance and Humor together.
· Kelly Reilly…Mmmmmmm
DISLIKES:
· Noomi Rapace lack of development.
· The Ending. Book Fans will be somewhat disappointed.
· Pacing at times in the film moves too fast or too slow.
