Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

So after the great success of the first film, Sherlock Holmes returns with “A Game of Shadows”. Robert Downey Jnr. And Jude Law return as their characters, Sherlock and Dr Watson respectively. However is it as good as the first one? No is the simple answer, but that is why I am here to review it.

Guy Ritchie recreated the Sherlock for a younger audience with an attractive cast, brilliant action and excellent wit. Well all of the above returns, but something is missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it. I have spoken to a few other people that I know love the Sherlock films, a couple said they thought it was better than the first and some thought it was much worse than the first. I however sit in the middle.

After watching this film, the phrase “If it isn’t broken, DON’T fix it”, comes to mind. All the mechanics of the film work, the action scenes with Sherlock narrating what he is going to do with his opponent are genius and I was so glad when watching, that they had returned. The chemistry between Law and Downey Jnr. is spot on.

Mulling over it, I believe that the story could have possibly the problem, but even that wasn’t bad. Maybe it was the mystery of magic that kept the first one from being like this one. In this sequel the infamous character of Professor Moriarty (played by Jared Harris)  is introduced, it shows that he has the same intelligence and forethought as Sherlock and this makes him his ultimate adversary.

It starts with some explosive scenes with Sherlock having to try to dispose of a bomb after he follows Irene Adler (His love interest and played by Rachel McAdams). Irene escapes and it is then shown to the audience that she is in actual fact working for Professor Moriarty. She fails with her mission of trying to kill her target, thus Professor Moriarty disposes of her. (Although the audience never really finds out what fate was handed to her). So Sherlock finds out and wants revenge. This takes Sherlock and Watson to places like Paris and Switzerland.

The soundtrack, like the last, is excellent and really adds to the time period in which it is set.

So all I can do now is, tell you to go and see it as it is worth watching but whether you will find it better than the last is another question. All I can say Is I hope you enjoy as I did.

Overall, a good film, but definitely not as good as the first.