It’s rare for a sequel to stand up on its own, compared to the first movie in a series, but Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows does a decent job of it. Once again, Robert Downey Jr shines as the protagonist. The way he walks, the way he talks, and even his facial expressions, Downey is immersed in the character of Sherlock Holmes. I was curious to see whether Rachel McAdams would be in this film, as she didn’t appear in the trailer. In fact, her character wasn’t featured much in the film, and there wasn’t any love interest for Holmes throughout most of the film, which is interesting.
Speaking of characters, Jude Law returns as Watson and has a more important role in this film, which begins from where the first one left off (with Watson and Mary engaged and soon to wed). Though sometimes you get the impression Watson just doesn’t have his heart in it anymore, there are some crucial moments, which prove otherwise − that deep down he really revels in unravelling these mysteries. And although he may frustrate Watson, there is no doubt about the strong, brotherly bond and admiration Sherlock shares with Watson. It is a bond which other characters don’t seem to understand. In the first film, it was Watson’s fiancée, Mary, who was like the third wheel in the Watson-Holmes friendship. In Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, it is the gypsy Simza, (the main female character in this film), who is not privy to the men’s ‘inside jokes’. In addition, add what can be easily interpreted as sexual tension, and you’ve got yourself a complex friendship! I think the sequel definitely highlights and intentionally encourages the discussion about Holmes’ sexuality which followed the release of the first film. Some of the comments Holmes makes, added to his cross-dressing scenes in the film, make for an intriguing protagonist.
A reason why this film doesn’t outshine the first is the plot. My impression was that there was a lot of effort going into the plot to make sure there was some content to build the film around (so audiences don’t have the feeling that the sequel is just being rushed out, with barely enough plot to stretch it into a film). However, I found the opposite effect: the plot was a little confusing, particularly at the beginning. There is an devious professor, an anarchist group and a gypsy, as Holmes and Watson end up travelling to places such as France and Germany. I found it quite a contrast to the more subdued and familiar London setting of the first film. In addition, the sequel also had a lot more action − it was loud and flashy with explosions seemingly going off in every other scene. As a result, I found there was less of an emphasis on comedy − I remember the first film had an amusing joke or remark (mostly from Holmes) quite often, whereas the sequel was more serious, with a few jokes thrown in to keep the character of Holmes consistent.
One of the aspects of this film which I liked was the slow motion sequences. The first film had the memorable fighting scene, where Holmes pictures the moves he needs to make in slow motion, in order to knock out his opponent, and then the sequence is played at normal speed and we see him execute his moves. In Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, there were a few of these interesting slow motion sequences. My favourite one takes place in the forest, when Holmes, Watson and Simza are fleeing while being shot at, and we see the bullets and missiles fly past trees, skimming the bark and sending it flying into the air. These types of sequences are the moments when we can marvel at the tricks and effects possible in the world of cinema. So while Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows doesn’t match the fun and spirit of the first film, it is still an enjoyable movie and an interesting take on one of the most well-known literary figures, which is a challenge in itself.
4.5/5
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