Highly Overrated But Still Good

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

From my favorite movies..

I was a huge fan of Robert Downey Jr.'s performance in the first Sherlock Holmes, and while I was excited to see him again as Sherlock on screen, I was afraid I would be let down by yet another sequel. However, that was not the case at all! Sherlock in a Game of Shadows by far blew away my expectations and surpassed the first movie in my eyes. Sherlock is wittier than ever, while at the same time more stealthy, serious, and plays an amazing protagonist to the Antagonist Professor James Moriarty. Whether it be an action packed scene, funny dialogue, or just plain enjoyment, I was thoroughly enjoyed and hooked in from start to finish.

I didn't like the first SHERLOCK HOLMES film very much at all, so I had little hope for this sequel. Unfortunately, it's even worse than the original, moving further away from the source material in a bid to deliver big bucks, action packed excitement. Downey Jr. plays Holmes as a superhero type in a Victorian setting, utilising his physical prowess and mental skills in a bid to bring down some typically shadowy villains.First of all, for an action film, the action is very poor. A GAME OF SHADOWS was made during a trend for ultra slow motion in cinema, and the slow motion sequences are ridiculous. I don't know if they're meant to be edge of the seat or exciting, but despite the cutting edge technology they look very fake and the CGI augmentation is all too obvious.Downey Jr.'s acting here is rather pitiful and his Holmes is required to cross dress and do other stuff that's about as far away from the spirit of the literary Holmes as is possible. Jude Law and Jared Harris work hard in support, but Noomi Rapace's fortune teller is out of place and Rachel McAdams remains awful. The worst thing about all this though is the nonsensical script, which turns realistic detective fiction into teen-friendly grandiose fantasy that remains frequently incomprehensible.

As a Holmes fan, I couldn't have asked for a better take on the stories and the character of Holmes & Dr. Watson. Robert Downey Jr & Jude Law make their roles come alive with such élan that you just refuse to believe that anyone else could take on these roles. The only cast member who I felt was out of place was Jared Harris who acted as Professor James Moriarty. Somehow, I felt the role need someone more cold, calm yet menacing, and deep. Holmes' relationship with Watson is highlighted in this film. Their chemistry is hilariously funny as there are a few scenes involving Holmes dressed as a woman that brings the comedy to its peak with the lines "lie with me Watson". The action scenes were awesomely backed by beautiful cinematography. Some of the scenes help build a connection between the character and audience. For instance, when Holmes's sees everything as he says his curse; it engages the viewer on his personal thoughts. The train ride to Watson's honeymoon & the one with face-off between Moriarty & Holmes are my favourites. The movie ends with a hint of the next sequel. It has been some time since the game of shadows has released. I really am looking forward to the next Sherlock Holmes movie in this series.

Despite making the right move of heading into the darker territory, the follow-up chapter to Sherlock Holmes fails to capitalise on the excellent platform provided by its predecessor and is a highly disappointing sequel that presents a downgrade in each storytelling element, tries too hard to be funny, and is also marred by its poor rendition of Holmes' arch-enemy.Following the events of the first film, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows continues the adventures of Detective Holmes & his companion, Dr. Watson, as they travel across Europe in a race to prevent their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty, from executing his sinister plot of starting a global war, only to find that their enemy is always one step ahead.Directed by Guy Ritchie, A Game of Shadows features more style & visual flair than its already impressive predecessor but fails to add anything of substance to its story or characters. Art direction is incredibly alluring, Camera-work adds a few more tricks up its sleeve but the use of slow-motion shots borders on excessive, Editing is terrible while Hans Zimmer's score is very much a rehash of the original.Coming to the performances, Robert Downey Jr. & Jude Law reprise their respective roles of Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson and while their chemistry works, their performance was much better in the last picture. The new additions include Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace & Stephen Fry and all of them disappoint for Harris' Moriarty isn't intimidating at all, Rapace just wanders around while Fry is annoying at times.On an overall scale, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is inferior on all levels for this sequel completely fails to build on the solid foundation of its predecessor, is tedious to sit through, offers nothing captivating enough to keep the interest alive, and despite the modest expectations, fails to recreate the magic of the original. Putting more emphasis on action than its plot or characters, A Game of Shadows is an inferior, insipid & uninspiring movie that ends up making a mockery of two of Arthur Conan Doyle's greatest creations.