By CHRIS SURPRENANT
Arts Editor
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is mainly for those who are unfamiliar with the “real” Sherlock Holmes. That being said, it should be looked at as just another action movie and judged as such. If Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters are removed from the picture, A Game of Shadows is a great thrill ride.
The film is not based on any of Conan Doyle’s stories, but rather an original screenplay by Kiernan and Michele Mulroney who definitely know how to tell a story. Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as Sherlock Holmes and is joined by Jude Law as Dr. John Watson. Initially, it appears as if the team is done fighting the forces of evil because of Dr. Watson’s impending nuptials, but, of course, something goes awry and forces the two together for more explosive, action-packed, adventures.
Involving gypsies, anarchists, opera lovers, and train rides, A Game of Shadows has something for everyone. Facing off against their arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty, Holmes and Watson uncover a plot to spark war between the European nations. Tracing it back to Moriarty, they meet the gypsy Sim (Noomi Rapace) whose brother belonged to an anarchist group that was terrorizing London on behalf of Moriarty.
It looks as if Holmes has met his match, as Moriarty seems to be one step ahead of the neurotic detective. With a little ingenuity and a lot of observation, Holmes pulls off some of his best tricks in this series. Laced with humor and non-stop explosions and martial arts sequences, Holmes is more than equipped to fight an evil mastermind.
Downey Jr. is engaging as Holmes. He plays this version of the detective with sharp delivery and visibly has fun with it. Law is perfectly cast as the straight-laced Dr. Watson. His impatience with Holmes’ unorthodox methods are hilarious to watch, but brought to life because he knows Holmes can be trusted.
Though the two male leads are perfectly cast, the leading ladies are bit lackluster. Rachel McAdams as Irene is underused, but it may be for the best. Her performance is a bit forced with a hollow delivery. Kelly Reilly’s Mary Watson comes off as thoroughly rude towards everyone she meets, especially Holmes. While she is meant to have a strained relationship with the detective, she is downright annoying to watch.
I’ll admit, I was not originally a fan of this new Holmes franchise. It wasn’t what I had read in Conan Doyle’s books. However, if looked at as simply an interpretation, Guy Ritchie does a fine job of producing quality entertainment for entertainment’s sake. No one takes it too seriously, so it’s a lot of fun even for its 129 minute runtime. If anything, the film should be seen for its intense train ride scene, which is probably one of the best scenes in the movie.
Better than its predecessor, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is worth checking out, a fan of Conan Doyle’s books or not. It delivers great acting with actors who just want to have a good time. With a healthy mix of humor and impressive pyrotechnics, A Game of Shadows sheds light on what going to the movies should be: fun.
