Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes II: Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes II: A game of shadows.            

Guy Ritchie is an interesting director indeed. His directing style is unique in that, rather than get caught up in things like plot and characters, he gets some celebrities, and then gives them each a joke book for a script. Then he gets his megaphone and starts filming. While this technique isn’t bad, and certainly has amassed him quite a following, it made us scratch our heads when he announced he would direct the Sherlock Holmes movies. Mysteries in general are complex and sinuous, and a structure-less director like Ritchie was bound to mess up along the way.

Much to our surprise, however, the first installment, released in '09, was great! "Sherlock Holmes" was smart, action-packed, and funny, and received critical acclaim. I myself am a big fan of the flick, and was thrilled to hear a sequel was on its way. But, on its release, the film received mixed reviews. Some people loved it with a burning passion, and wanted to elope with the screenwriter. Others thought it jumped on the explosions bandwagon, and lacked the conciseness of its predecessor. Well did it? I’m here to find out.            

      The movie begins with Irene Alder (Rachel McAdams) trying to deliver a package to a mysterious recipient. However, she is intercepted by her nemesis/romantic foil Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) who, through a series of disguises and martial arts sequences, is able to apprehend the parcel, realize it’s an explosive, and dispose of it, without hurting himself, Irene, or its recipient, a prominent German doctor. However, the doctor and Irene are both killed in the next scene, so the whole opening was a waste. Ow.

We then cut to Doctor Watson (Jude Law), who is going to be married, and hopes to spend his bachelor party with Holmes and some other old friends. However, what Sherlock has in store is a night at a vaudeville bar with his brother, Mycroft. Mycroft is played by Stephen Fry( V for Vendetta, A fish called Wanda) , Holmes's older brother, who is "fat, lazy, and lacking of all incentive, and thus, vital to the british government." in Sherlock's own words. His role in the film is to act like a spaz. Hey, I kinda like this guy. He and I have a lot in common.            

While at this bummer of a bachelor party, Holmes crosses paths with a gypsy who is nearly assassinated by a Russian folk dancer. Oh come on! Really? They couldn’t even hire a troupe of river dancers to do the job? What has the world come to? Well, determined to find out more, Holmes and Watson set sail for a gypsy camp in France, where they discover this young gypsy’s brother has been seduced by the wily Professor Moriarty, Holmes’s arch nemesis. And when Moriarty tries to sabotage Watson’s honeymoon, a rip-roaring adventure is set into motion. Can Holmes and Watson stop the professor’s evil plans?            

Ok, so it is far more campy and  action-oriented than the first, but “Game of Shadows” is still a fun movie. It contains some very funny quips, some suspenseful (though sometimes cheesy) action scenes, and one of the best endings to a movie I’ve seen. Trust me, it’s a great finale. While it does have its flaws, and isn’t nearly as concise or story-oriented as the other film, it's still worth watching. 7/10