Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows

The biggest surprise about Guy Ritchie’s 2009 Sherlock Holmes was the fact that it was any good at all. It was nothing against Ritchie himself, just that it didn’t seem an obvious fit between man and material. Now for an even bigger shock, this follow up, subtitled A Game of Shadows, is a bit of a blast as well. Even more surprising when you consider it begins stuck in neutral gear and it’s a while before the traditional Ritchie touches come to the fore. Once it gets going though it’s fun fun fun all the way. What of that bad start then? Basically we get Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) in one of the many (mainly unfunny it has to be said) disguises he dons throughout the film, there’s a standard punch up and then some below par banter with Watson (Jude Law) and Mrs Hudson. Stay with it though as soon Michele and Kieran Mulroney’s screenplay develops into something much more satisfying in the form of a smart plot by Moriarty (Jared Harris) to ignite war in Europe and the continuing bromance between Holmes and Watson. Most sequels introduce a few new characters to stir things up and a few more are added here including Noomi Rapace as a gypsy inadvertently caught up in Moriarty’s plotting and Stephen Fry as Holmes’ brother Mycroft. However, Ritchie also recognises that most new characters in follow ups muddy the waters somewhat and neither sticks around for long, though Fry does provide some decent comic moments. This is a bit of a shame though for Rapace as this is her biggest English language outing to date, but Ritchie’s films have never been ones for memorable female characters so it’s perhaps not much of a surprise that she’s off screen so much. A big plus point though is the casting of the relatively unknown Harris as Moriarty. There were some heavy hitters linked with role over the last couple of years and I think their casting would have super-ceded the role. As it is Harris is great as the quiet Professor, going about his dirty deeds with the air of a respectful businessman as opposed to overplaying the role, and his discussions with Downey Jr are some of the highlights of the film as they talk about crime and murder in a cold matter of fact manner. The relationship between Holmes and Watson is also explored in more depth and the on screen chemistry between Downey Jr and Law is a vast improvement from the first outing. As for Ritchie’s direction it comes to the front during a few set pieces, including a barn-storming sequence where the protagonists are chased through a forest whilst also trying to avoid shelling from German artillery. It’s a breathtaking few minutes and proof that when Ritchie is on his game very few people can better him in those kinds of scenes. Of course not all films are void of criticism and the negatives here are some of the fight scenes are directed in such a manner it’s quite hard to tell what’s going on (though I’m certain this was in order to get a lower certificate for the film) and the ending doesn’t quite catch the imagination as it should. The film has caught the imagination of the worldwide public though as there has been a hefty box office return meaning a third outing is now being penned. Here’s hoping that one turns out to be as much fun as this.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
About 20 minutes of gumph needed to hit the editing floor, but the rest is pure entertainment. Rating: 8/10.