Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

[chaseter]

I hope the third movie is less grand and more contained. A Baskervilles movie would be great and there is really only one more Sherlock villain left and he is in that book. If that cannot carry an entire movie, have the Hound be a subplot or an interweaving plot with a new villain as someone suggested, in America. But, Sherlock really is best fit for Europe.

I wouldn't even be totally against Sherlock and Holmes taking on Jack the Ripper. This current set of movies are happening at the exact same time as Jack the Ripper.

 

[Tony Stark]

the critics are insane!...this movie was incredible!
everything about it was superior to the first one, and i looved the first one. Not sure wth critics problems are with sequels...but they need to stop doing that... i went to see MI4 instead of this because it had a higher rating.


the guy who played moriarty was perfectly sinister!... and the final "battle" was superbly done...

its easily the smartest movie of the year...and i loved MI4 but the action scenes in sherlock are more memorable than MI4

if i had one nitpick it would be noomi rapace's character, she was there purely for plot reasons, a waste of a great actress... but thats really nothing.

just one question, did irene adler

Spoiler

really die?... im assuming maybe in a sequel they will reveal sherlock was behind her faked death so that moriarty wouldnt target her... and he was sad later on because he sent her far away or something. i just dont think they would bring her back just to kill her and not leave a body.

this movie had everything, and did it with style.

i never liked guy ritchie but after these Holmes films he's definatly on my radar

I think the reaction of the critics is because they don't like Ritchie, but you're right this film was incredible and you can see the viewer reviews have been very popular.

As far as your question, that's being debated all over the place. I've gone back and forth on the question myself. No question Moriarity was cold blooded enough to do it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I don't know if it was as good as the first film, but I did like it quite a lot. My favorite thing in the entire film may have been Kelly Reilly. She was pitch perfect in her little screen time and her time with [BLACKOUT]Mycroft[/BLACKOUT] had my entire family cracking up.

I had three major complaints however. First, Simza was a complete nothing character. A plot device that even Holmes disregards. I have no idea if Rapace can even act after watching this film. She was given nothing whatsoever.

The second was how badly harmed the major action set piece was by over-editing. Every last bit was touched and it really drained the scene of any tension. The firing of Little Hansel by itself felt like it had more editing then entire films.

Finally, the mystery itself fell more then a bit flat. Like Simza it felt nonexistent at times. Just something to get us to that final scene.

 

[lespaul59]

Spoiler

I got the impression that he was telling Holmes he poisoned her with a rare dose of TB, or that's what an autopsy would tell a coroner. But Holmes never checks his story, as far as I know, though Moriarty gives him her bloodied handkerchief. I guess Holmes could have tested the blood, and while he might have picked up the TB, how would he know it was her blood and not someone else's he put on the handkerchief--assuming the cloth isn't a fake? If I were Holmes, I'd want to check the body, and if Moriarty poisoned her so that a coroner wouldn't suspect murder--why kill her with TB otherwise--the professor should have been able to produce it.

Spoiler

My whole problem with believing Irene is dead is the fact that they never show Holmes interacting with Irene's body.

My thoughts on where they should go with a third movie.

Spoiler

As for story ideas I think they should adapt one of the Return of Sherlock Holmes stories considering they pick up 3 years I think it is after Holmes has faked his death.

 

[Quasimod0]

Best scene was the end fight of the minds

 

[regwec]

I saw this a couple of hours ago, and loved it. The dual engine of these films is the interplay between Holmes and Watson, and a lot of lovely period detail+. It's a great balancing act, and it is a credit to Jared Harris that he manages to maintain a degree of venomous threat in a villainous role that could become either bland or a pastiche. But there is something innexhaustably joyful about these films. There isn't a single scene that can't be enjoyed.

Gimme another!

 

[Asr]

I'm going to be honest: I fell asleep for at least a couple of minutes during this movie, right between when Holmes & group got some horses and up until their escape from a trainyard.

Sorry but this movie was a snorefest to me. The overcomplicated plot made it hard to easily follow the plot (ok so I was expecting a dumbed-down movie, what can I say) and it was way too talky for me - just about every plot point was revealed during some type of dialog. (I generally dislike movies that rely on following the dialog to get what's happening and prefer movies that you can follow visually and don't need dialog to know what's happening.) Some of the transitions didn't make a whole lot of sense either. It sort of felt like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies where stuff just happens without much explanation.

RDJ and Jude Law were both good as expected, and the Moriarty guy was good too, though for me Moriarty was a little too "present" in the movie. I was sort of expecting him to be a more mysterious character and literally in the shadows.

IMO this movie seemed to take itself more seriously than the first one and that's where it lost me. The dark visuals and washed-out look didn't do anything to grab me either - it was actually sort of off-putting, with the drab colors.

I wanted to like this movie but I just found it too boring and uninspiring, which is why I fell asleep. It really seemed to drag too, as far as the use of slow-motion and the mental planning. I thought the slow-mo was extremely overused in places that didn't really need it.

In the end, the movie's style just didn't appeal to me - the cinematography, editing, dialog, slow-mo, etc.

 

[Quasimod0]

All the things that appealed to me and many others. lol

 

[xwolverine2]

why would you even bother watching it? lol

 

[Asteroid-Man]

Love it. It should have just ended with Watson walking out of the room though.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Love it. It should have just ended with Watson walking out of the room though.

I thought the ending was perfect. No need to end on any doubt.

 

[lespaul59]

Love it. It should have just ended with Watson walking out of the room though.

If a third movie isn't guarantied I have no problem with the ending. If they do a third movie it doesn't really bother me either but not showing Holmes probaly would have been better.

 

[KRIM]

The minute the third is greenlit or starts marketing, the illusion is ruined anyway. So might as well have the reveal in its proper introductory setting; the theater.

 

[lespaul59]

The minute the third is greenlit or starts marketing, the illusion is ruined anyway. So might as well have the reveal in its proper introductory setting; the theater.

I agree and I would also say it was probaly done for those like myself who had/have no idea about what happens in the Sherlock Holmes canon.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

Where to start...

As always, RDJ and Law were fantastic. However, the chemistry between the two felt a bit strained and forced for this installment. Something definitely felt off, in my opinion.

I completely adored Moriarty as a villain. He was an outstanding adversary. The chess game was a unique metaphor for the mind sequence between him and Holmes playing out the impending final 'duel' step-by-step. My only gripe with the character was the lack of mystery surrounding him. He was revered as a shadow in the first installment, but in this film, Moriarty is a seemingly typical political and intellectual figure.

Alder and Sim -- I'll keep this short. What in bloody hell was that? Both characters appeared to be a waste. Shame, especially Rapace's character. Sim had no real purpose in this film.

The pacing, slow-mo combat, and plot were underwhelming, overcomplicated and excessive. The sentiment here was that Guy tried to overcompensate for the film's shortcomings, but he incidentally made things worse. I felt the movie drag at times and there were too many loose ends.

6.5/10

 

[marvelman2006]

The end chess game scene was great storytelling. You have the hero and villian playing chess like 2 calmn entities and you know all they want to do is rip each others heads off. The way they were trying to out think each other was told so well and show even better. I think my only complaint and its a small one but did we really need a dance number at the gypsy camp right in the middle of an investigation? Im also curious to see what becomes of the henchman that got away at the party. will they go the quantom of solace route and show an actual cult that moriarty was apart of for the henchman to run back to?

 

[regwec]

I don't think they could satisfactorily show Moriarty as subordinate to anything else at this point, nor do I think a possible threequel could really become more expansive. Part 1 had Victorian London as its stage, and this one used Bismarck-era Europe. The temptation would be to set part 3 throughout the British Empire, but I wonder if that wouldn't just amount to wanton globe-trotting. Perhaps a story set in the English countryside might contrast more pleasingly.

 

[Secret Fawful]

I thought the slow-mo was beautiful, not because durr explosions I love Michael Bay, but because of the level of detail. The sound editing was brilliant. You can see every detail of the scenes, feel the breath and movements of the objects, bullets, collisions, and characters. You could hear every little sound. This FAR surpasses the Matrix + Matrix copycats in terms of what slow-motion action should do. The Matrix just....has things happen with no enhancement, but this actually makes it an enveloping experience that feels and looks beautiful.

 

[SuperSoldier985]

I'm going to be honest: I fell asleep for at least a couple of minutes during this movie, right between when Holmes & group got some horses and up until their escape from a trainyard.

Sorry but this movie was a snorefest to me. The overcomplicated plot made it hard to easily follow the plot (ok so I was expecting a dumbed-down movie, what can I say) and it was way too talky for me - just about every plot point was revealed during some type of dialog. (I generally dislike movies that rely on following the dialog to get what's happening and prefer movies that you can follow visually and don't need dialog to know what's happening.) Some of the transitions didn't make a whole lot of sense either. It sort of felt like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies where stuff just happens without much explanation.

RDJ and Jude Law were both good as expected, and the Moriarty guy was good too, though for me Moriarty was a little too "present" in the movie. I was sort of expecting him to be a more mysterious character and literally in the shadows.

IMO this movie seemed to take itself more seriously than the first one and that's where it lost me. The dark visuals and washed-out look didn't do anything to grab me either - it was actually sort of off-putting, with the drab colors.

I wanted to like this movie but I just found it too boring and uninspiring, which is why I fell asleep. It really seemed to drag too, as far as the use of slow-motion and the mental planning. I thought the slow-mo was extremely overused in places that didn't really need it.

In the end, the movie's style just didn't appeal to me - the cinematography, editing, dialog, slow-mo, etc.

I dunno, I mean, you don't have to be watching a boring or uninspiring movie to fall asleep while watching. I hate it when people use an excuse like falling asleep as some sort of thing that the movie did to you. It's really not always the case. There's not always a causal relationship.

 

[marvelman2006]

I don't think they could satisfactorily show Moriarty as subordinate to anything else at this point, nor do I think a possible threequel could really become more expansive. Part 1 had Victorian London as its stage, and this one used Bismarck-era Europe. The temptation would be to set part 3 throughout the British Empire, but I wonder if that wouldn't just amount to wanton globe-trotting. Perhaps a story set in the English countryside might contrast more pleasingly.

I definitely dont want another globe trotter type of story. I like the more smaller scale like the first one had, some times in these big movies they travel so much that you just loose track of the story and not care in the end because you feel like your just watching the actors travel the world. I have a feeling though they will try to make it even bigger this time around maybe involving bristish royalty in the plot.

On a side note Im glad they kept the watson/holmes bantering and even gave a bigger role to watsons wife. Im almost died when he tossed her from the train.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

I thought the ending was perfect. No need to end on any doubt.

If a third movie isn't guarantied I have no problem with the ending. If they do a third movie it doesn't really bother me either but not showing Holmes probaly would have been better.

Thing is he was meant to die in the books. The only reason Sir Doyle brought him back was because the Queen demanded it! Haha

I would have liked them to have "killed him off" and then have his return be just as ridiculous in the third one as it was in the Return of Sherlock Holmes.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I absolutely loved the ending. What a great surprise that was. Put a huge smile on my face.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

I enjoyed the film, it was intricately written and Robert Downey Jnr was fantastic - even better than the first film. The fight scenes where fun, I loved the train scene and Stephen Fry's character was a nice addition.

But Moriarty was kind of underwhelming.

Don't get me wrong. That last scene with the hypothetical fight was pretty cool.

But I just didn't get invested in him as a bad guy as much as I was in the first film with Lord Blackwood. I'd have to put it down to Mark Strong just being a more charismatic actor than Jared Harris.

I think they perhaps could have found a better know actor to play Sherlock Holmes arch nemisis.

But hey, that's just me

The film still made it into my top ten of the year.

 

[ceebee9000]

I thought it was 4/5ths more-of-the-same, slightly inferior sequel, and 1/5th brilliant, inspired ending. I'm really surprised the rest of it wasn't stronger.

 

[OsGom]

I thought Downy and Law were great! I liked the plot but I felt the action sequences were kind of dumb. Especially the group fleeing the munitions factory. All the slow motion explosions and trick photography aside, I don't know if many of you know the nature of artillary but it is helpful if one has an idea of their targets position. A group of individuals fleeing through a forest would not provide any target. So cannons would basically be firing blind and only coming close to the enemy through sheer luck and volume. While it isn't impossible that they might hit the fleeing group, it is just as likely they would hit the pursuing force.

In addition, they failed to give Rapace (a great actress) any presence. Irene was solid in the last movie because she was a strong character and played well against Holmes. They didn't really give Rapace much to work with in that respect. Also I doubt a gypsy would be so blindly trusting or trustworthy.

Overall I give it a 6/10 based on RDJ and Laws performance and a good overall plot.