Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - Dir. Guy Ritchie (2011)

In some ways, Warner Brothers' revisionist take on Sherlock Holmes is more faithful to the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Gone are the great detective's stoic manner and meticulous behavior along with the Meerschaum pipe and deerstalker cap that became pervasive from earlier adaptations. However, it's doubtful Doyle ever dreamed of his most famous character karate kicking villains in the chest or dodging machine gun bullets and mortar shells. Indeed, Holmes as played by Robert Downey Jr. is an eccentric man of action, who can solve problems with his fists as well as his mind. But, the powers of deduction aren't as cool looking as CGI explosions.

Ironically, the BBC's modern day version with Benedict Cumberbatch is more in line with the traditional Holmes. Showrunner Steven Moffat and director Paul McGuigan have also found a way to maintain the cerebral tone while also making detective work visually interesting. If whiz-bang effects and big name stars are more your style, then Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is right up your alley. The sequel, once again directed by Guy Ritchie, expands on the formula of the previous film and ups the ante with more action, new characters, and a mystery that takes the heroes outside the confines of London as they travel to France, Germany, and Switzerland.

Since the events of the first film, Sherlock Holmes has been diligently connecting a string of mysterious deaths to Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), nicknamed the "Napoleon of Crime." The Machiavellian plans of Moriarty involve plunging all of Europe into a world war. At the Moriarty's side is his chief henchman, Col. Sebastian Moran (Paul Anderson), a former military sharpshooter. Holmes's only clue to stop him is a gypsy fortune teller named Simza (Noomi Rapace), whose brother is a member of a terrorist group under the employ of the villainous mastermind. A newlywed Dr. Watson (Jude Law) is unable to enjoy his honeymoon with Mary (Kelly Reilly) as he's dragged along on an adventure that culminates in a showdown at Reichenbach Falls as originally depicted in "The Final Problem."

A Game of Shadows benefits greatly by opening the world of Sherlock Holmes up by bringing in more characters from Doyle's stories. Stephen Fry joins the cast as Sherlock's older brother, Mycroft, who happens to be even smarter and more eccentric. Fry, a noted Holmes enthusiast, is perfectly cast as Mycroft complimenting Downey's manic performance with a hoity attitude and wry wit. Then, there's Jared Harris, who turns in a menacing performance as Moriarty without going over the top.

Noomi Rapace is one of two stars from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, along with leading man Michael Nyqvist (in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), making her Hollywood debut just a few days before the release of David Fincher's remake. Unfortunately, her role isn't nearly as compelling as the goth hacker Lisbeth Salander. As the bland Simza, Rapace doesn't have much to do aside from running from peril alongside Downey and Law. She's doesn’t get to verbally spar with Holmes the way Rachel McAdams (who returns briefly) did as Irene Adler. You wish they had given a meatier role to Kelly Reilly.

The screenplay by the husband and wife team of Kieran & Michele Mulroney (who also wrote and directed the little seen indie flick Paper Man) follows the same formula as the first Sherlock Holmes. It's not wildly innovative or particularly clever, but the actors are able to elevate the material. The real problem with A Game of Shadows lies with the hyperactive direction from Guy Ritchie. The director of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch is known for being a filmmaker who is more style than substance. This is never more apparent than a muddled action sequence involving the heroes fleeing through a forest while chased by German soldiers. Ritchie changes speeds on a dime, going from fast to slow motion. He zooms into the barrel of a rifle and follows the bullet's trajectory. The camera never stays in one place long enough for the audience to figure out what the hell is happening. A Game of Shadows does feature better action scenes such as Holmes and Watson battling Moriarty's men on a speeding train and a unique take on Holmes' pre-visualization before a fistfight against his archnemesis.

Despite some messy direction from Guy Ritchie, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is actually an improvement on its progenitor. The superior sequel largely succeeds due to the presence of a formidable villain, higher stakes, bigger set pieces, and the chemistry between its leads. Downey and Law have transformed the Sherlock Holmes series into a Victorian-era buddy action/comedy.

Rating: *** ½ (*****)

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes - Dir. Guy Ritchie (2009)


Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes, gets a new coat of paint for the 21st century in this latest interpretation. Just like the current visage of Santa Claus was largely a creation of Coca-Cola, the image of Holmes in a deerstalker hat, tweed cape with a calabash pipe was honed through various film and television adaptations. The hat and cape are gone and the pipe was appropriated by Hans Landa. Instead, filmmakers went back to the source material. Doyle’s original Holmes was depicted as unabashedly arrogant about his immense intellect and was also something of an opium sot. The drug use barely alluded to, but many of the great detective’s eccentricities are on full display.

This iteration of Holmes is perfectly played by Robert Downey, Jr. Even at a younger age, it’s hard to imagine Downey headlining a big-budget action franchise, but you can’t picture either Sherlock Holmes or Iron Man without him. Downey exceeds as the egotistical Holmes whose deductive skills and orderly mind are no comparison to his slovenly living habits. Holmes’ acumen as a martial artist and bare-knuckle boxer are briefly mentioned in a pair of Doyle’s stories, but they take the forefront here. Holmes can not only break down a person’s entire life by a mere glance, he can break someone down physically the same way. Holmes’s sidekick, Dr. Watson, is equally reimagined from the overweight bumbler to friggin’ Jude Law. He’s a man of action on equal footing with his partner.

Holmes and Watson’s relationship is soured when the latter moves out of their Baker Street townhouse to wed his fiancée Mary Morstan. Holmes can’t abide that Watson would wish for company other than himself. However, bigger happenings are afoot when the two apprehend Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) for the ritualistic murders of several young women. After being hanged and pronounced dead by Watson, Blackwood returns from the grave and confounds his adversary with his seemingly supernatural powers. In addition, Holmes is befuddled by the return of Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), a notorious thief and one of the very few to outwit Holmes. If Holmes and Watson are Batman and Robin, then Adler is their Catwoman.

For a mystery-laden potboiler, the last person you’d want to hire as director would be Guy Ritchie. As a filmmaker, he’s all style and no substance. As a writer, he’s a one-trick pony. Ritchie debuted with the gangster farce Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels then repeated the same formula in his sophomore effort Snatch. After striking out with the much-maligned Swept Away (starring then-wife Madonna), Ritchie returned to the ever-diminishing well with Revolver and RocknRolla. No, Ritchie couldn’t direct a Victorian-era drama to save his life, but he can direct a slick modernized blockbuster. Ritchie’s trademark trickery (fast-forwards, rewinds, slow motion, quick cuts) work as a way into the labyrinthine mind of our hero. This is also the best looking film of Ritchie’s career thanks to Oscar-winning cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (A River Runs Through It, Interview with the Vampire).

The story itself isn’t as clever as it makes out to be, but the lead actors are good enough to make you buy into it all without question. Downey and Law play off each other incredibly well and Mark Strong always adds a level of credibility to whatever film that’s lucky to have him. Rachel McAdams, unfortunately, isn’t up to the task of keeping pace with her castmates. She’s good in contemporary roles (Mean Girls, State of Play), but sticks out like a sore thumb in a period piece.

Despite, a few shortcomings, Sherlock Holmes is one of the better Hollywood offerings of 2009. It’s a fun popcorn movie and the beginnings of a promising franchise. I’m looking forward to seeing who they might cast as Professor Moriarty. Anthony Hopkins? Bill Nighy? Is Gary Oldman free?

Rating: ***

RocknRolla

RocknRolla - Dir. Guy Ritchie (2008)


The well may have run dry, but that hasn’t stopped Ritchie from dipping into it once more. Thrust yet again into the London underworld, we are introduced to an ensemble of ruthless gangsters and incompetent crooks. There’s an overly complicated real estate scam, stolen cash, a stolen painting, and the search for a drugged out rock star.

Ritchie has been reluctant to grow as a filmmaker ever since making his big splash on the Post-Tarantino cinematic landscape with Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. He’s essentially remade the same film three times. Then again, when he did try to stretch his directing muscles, he made the universally reviled Swept Away.

With RocknRolla, the former Mr. Madonna’s flaws show more and more. MTV style editing and fancy camera tricks act as feints for otherwise bland sequences. Ritchie stuffs his script with far too many subplots and characters in a vain attempt to bolster his page count. The only way to distinguish any of those characters is by arbitrarily goofy nicknames like One Two, Mumbles, and Johnny Quid. It won’t be by their well-rounded personalities since they have none.

To Ritchie’s credit, he still manages to collect a wealth of talented actors to play his cartoonish characters. Not all of them are properly utilized, the usually entertaining Jeremy Piven turns in a bland performance, for example. As one of the hottest accountants in the world, Thandie Newton displays a sexy cool that might be the closest we’ll ever get to a gangland Audrey Hepburn. I also enjoyed Mark Strong’s (also great in Body of Lies and Stardust) excellent turn as our narrator and the right-hand man of Lenny Cole played to perfection by Tom Wilkinson (”There’s no school like the old school.”).

Rating: **