Sherlock Holmes enters into a dangerous battle of wits with
the Napoleon of Crime himself, Professor James Moriarty. ACTION/CRIME
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Sherlock Holmes:
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While not as great as the first film, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is still a delightful yarn that draws its power from its talented cast. This time around, Holmes and Watson are faced with the most dangerous adversary they have ever faced, the deviously clever Professor James Moriarty. This high octane sequel succeeds in creating an air of hatred combined with mutual respect between Holmes and Moriarty and it's this unlikely connection that fuels the palpable tension throughout the film.
Moriarty is portrayed by Mad Men alumni Jared Harris, who does a phenomenal job of displaying the character's ruthlessness and sophistication that has made him one of fiction's most infamous villains. His chemistry with Robert Downey Jr. is flawless, making his Moriarty an incredibly dangerous adversary who is a joy to watch. My only gripe with this film is that the plot is a lot more complex than the first film's, making it a little hard to follow. After repeated viewings, it gets a little easier but there are so many threads to follow that it starts to get tiresome. Still, A Game of Shadows is a worthy follow-up that absolutely does justice to the first film while expanding on Guy Ritchie's quirky world he's built for this franchise. Adding British comedian Stephen Fry as Holmes's equally eccentric brother Mycroft just proves yet again that he was the man for the job. Hopefully, Sherlock Holmes 3 will gain some traction soon, because this series needs some closure. |