"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" seems to pick up right where the first left off. The evil Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris) had begun to strike terror across Europe through a series of bombings and assassinations taking place in different countries. The goal is to create a World War that he can profit from through the selling of advanced weaponry that he and his men have created. Fortunately Holmes (Downey) has picked up on Moriarty's trail but there is a slight problem. His closest friend and partner Dr. Watson (Jude Law) cannot help him on the case because he is preparing to get married. With the upcoming honeymoon which will keep Watson away for several weeks and the public threat that Moriarty has made against Watson and his fiancee, Holmes sees this time of romance as an obstacle and, using his brilliant mind, finds a way to "postpone" it. Now with the help of his partner, Holmes and Watson must race across Europe before Moriarty sends it plunging into war.
What makes "Sherlock Holmes" great is the acting. The leading men are all suburb. Robert Downey Jr. plays the title role with such a great mix of wit, cockiness, and a bit of insanity and is absolutely fantastic. Better yet is the chemistry that he and Jude Law have on screen. The duo's different characters and personalities mesh so well that not only does it create great acting, but lots of humor. Downey also has a great on screen chemistry with Jared Harris who plays Moriarty with the same wit and cockiness as Holmes but also adds a more cunning and menacing side creating an even more powerful character. The two scenes with Holmes and his nemesis having a battle of wits (and fists) were definitely my favorite of the film.
Another highlight of both "Holmes" films is the excellent cinematography. The way that the film is shot is remarkable. Many will remember the scenes from the first films featuring Holmes thinking in his head (in slow-motion) on how to beat his opponent, and then doing just that (back in regular speed). There is much more of this in the new installment and it makes the best action. The many different and diverse camera angles that cover all points of the different action and fight scenes will impress many. Action aside, the film features many beautiful landscapes and set pieces and while I could go on forever with the look of the film, I need to leave some for surprise.
The final aspect of "Holmes" that I'll devote a paragraph to is the music. Hans Zimmer is without a doubt my favorite composer. His music is powerful, energetic, and creative and he did an outstanding job with the first film's score. For the sequel, Zimmer brings back the great main theme and a few other memorable compositions, but has also created a whole new soundtrack of fantastic music that will surly be remembered as some of his best work.
In the end, the makers of "Holmes" took everything from the first film, and improved on it. The action is bigger, the acting is better, the story is even more complex and engaging (which is really saying something). Not many sequels end up besting the first, but "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" is a grand exception. I give it three and a half stars out of four.
"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" has a running time of two hours and eight minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material.
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