'Game of Shadows' Contributes to the Web of Sherlock's Success

Back again, Sherlock and Watson find themselves on the brink of global catastrophe.

There is always that incredible sense of satisfaction when a re-imagination of a classic just doesn’t break out from the pack, but more importantly deserves to.  Back in 2009, Guy Ritchie did exactly that in tackling Sherlock Holmes, which has been interpreted more times than one can count, and the start of new adventures for the legendary detective and his dear, dear Watson. 

Elementary you might say, but without the chemistry of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law with Ritchie helming this project, Sherlock could have easily been a thrown together cash-in on the century-plus-old brand name. Far from it. Fast forward two years later; Ritchie, Downey Jr. and Law team up once more for the anticipated sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. In this sequel, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson find themselves in the midst of the plot of a mastermind, which could ignite a world war.

The big question out there is whether or not A Game of Shadows can live up to the original or fall prey to that cunning sequelitis. A Game of Shadows is simply as close as a sequel can get to the original without taking the easy way out. The film doesn’t feel overblown or need to outdo its predecessor, except in stylistic directorial choices most seen in a forest chase deep in the middle of the narrative. This Sherlock sequel also continues with a fresh chain of events, leaving the streets of Victorian London for train escapades across the European countryside, quaint German villages and fortified mountain retreats. The settings aren’t as dynamic as London, but work more as a contrast in creating a self-containing adventure.  

Like the 2009 film, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) goes head to head with an equal bent on conjuring up chaos in 19^th Century Europe. Out is the slippery Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) and replacing him is a cerebral Jared Harris as Holmes’ most famous archenemy, Professor James Moriarty. Moriarty has been hyped up for about two years, starting with that brief glimpse at the end of Sherlock Holmes and now it’s the moment of truth. Harris does a fantastic job as Holmes’ classic archenemy, matching Downey’s Holmes at every turn. On the outside, he is a gentlemen and a scholar, but inside something is festering and it’s played very strongly.

Once again, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law enhance their chemistry as Holmes and Watson, alluding to the 19^th century bromance that makes them seem more like an old married couple constantly bickering and on each others’ nerves time and time again. But it works as their bickering helps the duo scene after scene play off of one another quite genuinely. Noomi Rapace tags along as a gypsy fortune teller, who really isn’t as involving to the plot as one would care for. Though practically scene-stealing in The Millennium Trilogy, her character here is quite forgettable and throughout the majority of the film, the audience forgets her initial role. Along for the ride too is Rachel McAdams back as Irene Adler, though she is nothing more than extended cameo. It was pleasing to see McAdams return, particularly after enjoying her in the first film, but as the story dictates, she is pretty limited.

What really separates A Game of Shadows from being an equal or surpassing Sherlock Holmes is the intricate care of unfolding the mystery and more so the detective work. The first time around, it felt as Ritchie calculated each clue, moving from one to the next and engaging the audience. 

A Game of Shadows feels quite differently, coming off more as an intellectual cat-and-mouse game. Of course it’s a perfect fit for the Moriarty character, but the moves sometime lack that spark of an actual game. Difficult to top a phenomenal first film, this sequel is a wonderful addition to the Holmes canon, opening a much larger world without blowing it out of proportion.         

GRADE: A- (9/10)
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