Score: **** out of *****
Long Story Short: Robert Downey, Jr. returns as Sherlock to face his archrival Dr. Moriarty in a film cut from the same cloth as the first. Of course, in this reviewer's opinion, that is a good thing, with quick banter, elaborate sets and effects, and RDJ's brilliant performance in the lead. Add in higher stakes with more (but well done) action, and A Game of Shadows is, overall, just as good as the first impressive entry in the series.
Ah, back to the movies! After another slow fall season at the theater, it looks like a full slate of interesting titles await audiences. Having seen and highly enjoyed the first, I had been looking forward to this sequel to Robert Downey, Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes. While some may find this series' style too action-packed, I think it is an extremely entertaining one that still manages to include plenty of work for Sherlock's brain in addition to his brawn. A Game of Shadows, like the original, was directed by Guy Ritchie, and co-stars Jude Law as Watson opposite RDJ.
Irene Adler (McAdams), Holmes' competitor/lover from the first film, begins the action by delivering a package - under the watchful eye of Holmes. The package turns out to be a nasty one, and with that Holmes is on the hunt. Watson, imminently engaged to be married, returns to London to find Holmes brooding once more in his suite. Holmes has amassed a number of mysteries that he has linked together, and the recent package seems to be a new clue to the puzzle. Sherlock lets business interfere with pleasure, as usual, seeking out a woman (Rapace) linked to the package during Watson's bachelor party.
With his new evidence, Holmes confronts his nemesis Dr. Moriarty, who warns Sherlock to drop the chase. Following Watson's wedding, Holmes secretly follows the couple to their honeymoon, on the way to which they are ambushed as Holmes feared. His wife safely taken back to London by Holmes' brother Mycroft (Fry), Watson agrees to help Sherlock, traveling from France to Germany to Switzerland, in his quest to discover Moriarty's ultimate ambition and to bring him to justice. (I'm even more vague with the plot details than usual since I think some of the surprises are well worth keeping intact).
First thing's first: Robert Downey, Jr. is just as fantastic playing the legendary Sherlock as he was in the original. There are plenty of things to like about these films, but his performance is probably my favorite part. The delivery of his quips, the physical comedy of his disguises, and his chemistry with Watson, among other aspects, are just brilliant, in my opinion. One thing that brings this movie down a bit for me, however, is the drop-off in roles for other characters. Law as Watson is good again, but his role is reduced. The female lead, gypsy Simza (Noomi Rapace), has a much smaller role than the equivalent Adler (McAdams) from the first film. She is more of a plot device than a character. Sadly, bumbling Inspector Lestrade only gets a small cameo in this film.
On the brighter non-Sherlock side of the cast are two additions. The first is Sherlock's brother, Mycroft, played by the brilliant British comedian Stephen Fry. He doesn't have a huge part, either, but he elevates the scenes that he is in and I would be surprised if he didn't return for any more Sherlock sequels. The other is Dr. Moriarty, played by Jared Harris. Moriarty, for the uninitiated, is Sherlock's archrival in the literature, and Harris plays him with hair-raising menace and mystery. The sparring banter between the two is a treat for the audience.
All the essential elements you remember from the first Sherlock, if you saw it, return here in one degree or another. The action is certainly ratched up in A Game of Shadows, but I think almost every single set is brilliantly choreographed, tense, and of its own. Even action sets that might seem a little cliched in a larger sense are carefully designed and executed. I was a bit skeptical myself when I heard there was more action in this one, but believe me, it's not just there for the sake of appealing to a wider audience. The comedy is slightly down from the first, probably due to the "larger stakes" in the plot, but it still has plenty of laughs; they didn't cast Fry for no reason, after all, and RDJ's Holmes is quirky and hilarious as always, as I said before (one scene involving horses was particularly amusing to me). Both the sets and the special effects are even more spectacular than in the first, given the wider geographic scope and the increased action. And finally, Zimmer keeps the musical theme from the first which fit so well (the lead harpsicord), though the tone is darkened to support the film's atmosphere.
***
I would say A Game of Shadows is at the upper end of the four-star score for me. Above all else, I think it is simply the most entertaining movie I've seen all year. RDJ is responsible for most of this (have I mentioned that I like him as Holmes?), and the action is so well done and yet not overbearing. Dr. Moriarty is both cast and written appropriately as Holmes' archrival, a major improvement (even if not really a fair comparison) from the first film. Still, it is hard to keep everything up to par in a sequel when you ratchet up some aspects. The clue collecting and dissecting aspects do take a hit, though it's far from abandoned. The supporting, non-Holmes/Moriarti cast definitely takes a back seat, but they still provide significant boosts here and there. And the series still doesn't exactly have a strong emotional component, and for this reason I think it would be difficult for an RDJ-Ritchie(Director)-Sherlock film to become a true classic. But at the same time, these films have a style that is so well-defined and well-made that they are worth going back to again and again.
