Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows
Guy Ritchie is back with a sequel to his 2009 take on the famous detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle. Whereas the first movie, with Robert Downey Jr. in the title role, was a different, very 'Guy Ritchie' approach to the stories, the sequel lacks that element of surprise, but that's not the reason behind it being nowhere near as good.
For at least the first half hour of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, there's a series of events, but nothing actually happens. Nor do the events really connect with one another. And it doesn't get much better. While things start to make sense, there is still a serious lacking in terms of actual plot. It's all set up for the next big explosion or fight scene. I wonder if Warner just gave Ritchie free reigns on this because the last one did well.
Surely they couldn't have agreed to a screenplay without actual plot.
The direction is quite lazy as well. The first Sherlock Holmes had a real sense of Guy Ritchie to it; partly because it was a different take on it what we had seen before. Instead of being more inventive, and taking a few risks, he stuck to exactly what he did the last time. It doesn't make it a bad film, but repetition isn't exciting.
I'm being quite negative; there are certainly some good things about the film. The fight scenes are still fun, and the chase through the forest scene is good, if a bit over done. There are funny moments too, particularly scenes with Stephen Fry as Sherlock's brother Mycroft. They're not the most imaginative of jokes but they work. Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. are still great together. The writers take the bromance a step too far in my opinion, but the actors make it work. It could have been awkward. The scenes with just the two of them are probably the most fun.
Noomi Rapace does alright in an essentially pointless role. It's nice that she got a big Hollywood break, but it is a shame that her talent is wasted like this. Rachel McAdams is good in her too-short return as Irene Adler. Jared Harris does well with what he's given, but Professor Moriarty isn't a very intimidating or threatening villain, and he doesn't really have a master plan. Well, he does, but he's expecting it to happen on its own. All the bad things he does seem to have no justification. Maybe it's because I haven't read the books, and therefore don't really understand the significance of this villain in the Sherlock Holmes books, but it's all a bit unsatisfying.
It's such a shame that Guy Ritchie couldn't make a good sequel. It's lacking so much in terms of plot and fluid storytelling, but it does have its share of fun moments, and even though I couldn't fully enjoy it, I'm sure there will be many people who will.
