Review: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

2009, Guy Ritchie brought us a whole new Holmes. A major departure in terms of style and treatment of Sherlock Holmes live action adaptation. A new perspective to interpret the one of the most adapted fictional characters of all time. Victorian Sherlock Holmes with a post modernist twist. It was well received and loved. Robert Downey Jr gets another iconic role in another iconic franchise after Ironman, and Jude Law is not longer a pretty boy.

A sequel is fast tracked, and it still takes 2 years of wait.

If the first film’s major role is to reintroduce the characters to us, in second film, where all the character and the ‘universe’ of this Holmes has already established, it is just logical to add in more characters and reference to the books.

The film wasted no time to reintroduce the characters. It started of with Watson writing what he presumed the last adventure of Sherlock Holmes and provides enough exposition for the audience to join in the action.

If the first film focused on Holmes exploit in London, this film escalates into an international cat and mouse game. Although the role of cat and mouse shifted in between Holmes and Moriarty.

Speaking of Moriarty, this is perhaps the best Moriarty so far. Reason being, previous more faithful adaptation of Holmes will have Moriarty appear and killed of in one story – The Final Problem. The reason for this is obvious; the purpose of Moriarty creation is to have a foe to cause the death of Sherlock Holmes and that is the intention of Conan Doyle in The Final Problem. But the lack of appearance of Moriarty in the books also makes him such a legendary and mysterious figure. Many will think of imagine and Moriarty has more in his pocket that what Conan Doyle has written. The Moriarty in this film, played by Jared Harris, like Downey’s Holmes has given new breath to this character. No longer is he just a creepy senior citizen, but he does live up his reputation as the Napoleon of Crime.

Another pleasant addition is the great Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s smarter but lazy big brother. He has the physical build like Mycroft and also the sense of humor that is iconic in this franchise. He has limited screentime, but whenever he is present, he owns the scene.

In short, although I missed Holmes’s apartment, 221B Baker Street and the actions in London. Having Sherlock and John as action heroes with brain presented in such a unique style without the need to explain like the first film is just a great great pleasure.

This is never a review, for I almost forget how to write one…need to retrain myself on it.

Anyway, Sherlock adaptation is never bad, but this is just great.