Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

[The Sage]

It was good, real good. Downey Jr is so awesome. Talk about a cast with chemistry.

The part that had me hyped was when Moriarty did the mental fight planning along with Holmes. I was like "Ahhhh vicious!"

 

[flickchick85]

Glad to hear so many people enjoy it more than the first! Hopefully I can get to see this tomorrow.

 

[TheVileOne]

Any sequel bait at the end like in the first?

Yes.

 

[batman44]

Just saw it and really liked it.

Spoiler

Don't know how Holmes survived the fall at the end

Harris rocked as Moriarty.

 

[CaptainCanada]

In the best spirit of the first one, it's all nonsense ultimately, but absurdly enjoyable and surprisingly well-made. Sherlock's deductions come so fast and furious that it's often hard to follow exactly what he's deducing, but it hangs together, and the barrage of details allows numerous plot devices to be dropped in and then reappear in surprising ways. Blockbusters tend to fall into predictable patterns, but this movie manages to be very unpredictable, which I appreciate a lot.

Spoiler

I imagine there was a realization during the drafting phase of this movie that went something like this: "Hey, remember how Christopher Nolan made Batman Begins and everyone thought it was great, but that the female lead didn't really work, and so in the sequel they had the hero's biggest nemesis kill her? We should do that."

The attempt to use Irene as a Catwoman-ish figure never really worked because the franchise ultimately kept true to Holmes' basically unromantic nature. And, really, the Holmes/Watson duo ultimately doesn't need a woman, though they've dutifully added another female character to keep the representation up and contribute a bit to the plot, though without any romantic overtones. Noomi Rapace doesn't do a whole lot, but she looks striking (very distinctive face, especially the eyes). Actually, Mary (Kelly Reilly) shows some promise that respect.

This is the Holmes and Watson show, of course, and the routine is as much fun the second time around as it was the first, which is nice. Jared Harris is a very good Moriarty.

Most of Holmes' deduction-based fight scenes seemed to be shot much faster than in the first film (and darker, in several instances), so they were a bit hard to follow. But the final confrontation with Moriarty was excellent.

This movie also clearly demonstrates that the classic James Bond formula still works - this was Holmes as a more cerebral Bond, whilst Bond is off being Bourne.

 

[The Riddler]

i really enjoyed this film much more than the first even though i really enjoyed the first one, too.

moriarty makes this movie; harris does very, very well here, and every scene with them together sizzles. the

Spoiler

chess match ending

and the scene with the

Spoiler

interrogation scene / watson v. sniper

were really stand outs.

 

[GregComicFan]

I just saw this. Very good. I would say it's just as good as the first one.

Spoiler

I thought the ending was exceptionally well-done. It made the movie for me.

 

[jacobed]

Moriarty is by far the best reason to go see this movie. His relationship with Holmes was definitely the highlight and did not disappoint in any way at all.

 

[Brain Damage]

Am I really the only one who was disappointed by this and found it completely inferior to the first?

 

[SuperSoldier985]

Yeah, I was a little disappointed too, but I already had my expectations lowered after reading some reviews.

I just saw this yesterday and I'm already having trouble remembering what happened.

I enjoyed the movie enough to say it wasn't a waste of time, but unlike MI: 4, I have no desire to watch it again. Not as good as the first, but if anyone had to ask me, I'd tell them to either watch it at an early bird price or wait for netflix or something...

 

[Symbiotic]

Saw this last night and nearly completely loved it. My one complaint is this.

Spoiler

Where was the closure with Noomi Rapace's character? She isn't given a proper last scene. Although, if she was at Sherlock's funeral and I didn't notice, I'd count that.

Other than that, I really enjoyed it, and Zimmer's score was fantastic.

 

[CaptainCanada]

Saw this last night and nearly completely loved it. My one complaint is this.

Spoiler

Where was the closure with Noomi Rapace's character? She isn't given a proper last scene. Although, if she was at Sherlock's funeral and I didn't notice, I'd count that.

She was there, beside Watson.

 

[Superhero 101]

Saw the film yesterday and i did enjoy this movie a lot i thought everything was good except for the pace of the film. But to me the first one still is the better one. It's a good movie to go watch during the weekend.

 

[childeroland]

Excuse my shoddy memory, but did Moran

Spoiler

survive the fight with Watson

at the Tower? If so, I wonder if the next film will show him

Spoiler

going up against Holmes at the falls after Holmes survives the plunge

. It'd be a shame if there wasn't a little nod to that.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I actually don't know what they could do with a third film right now.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

It only did 14.7mil yestday. I'm sure it will do gangbusters overseas but right now the domestic numbers are looking mighty disappointing if it doesn't develop better legs than the first film.

 

[Visiting Arkham]

It may have December legs, though. Depending on how Tintin, War Horse, and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo do, it may not completely under perform.

 

[Symbiotic]

She was there, beside Watson.

Ah, alright then. Good deal.

It only did 14.7mil yestday.

Wtf? Good lord. The first movie did $24 million on opening day. And Avatar was still going strong. How does this one do $14 million with no big competition to stand in the way?

 

[Godsfireworks]

For one I loved the movie, I thought it was a massive improvement ont he first, and definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. As for the third film

Spoiler

I would love to see a movie where Watson does his own investigation like he does in the books (He does several after Moriarty and Sherlock go over the falls.) and Sherlock just kind of stays in the shadows observing,until maybe Moriarty comes back or something.

 

[TheVileOne]

To answer some questions:

Spoiler

Sim was at Holmes' funeral/memorial to pay her respect. It was a bit of a sad ending for her though considering her brother got killed and his killer got away.

Also Moran survived. Moran survived the cannon blast and chased Holmes and Watson and their Gypsy friends out of the factory and shot one of the gypsies. He was in Switzerland for the peace conference and he was the one that killed Renee, Sim's brother. Watson tried to help Renee and saw Moran and likely figured out he was the assassin that killed Renee. Moran escaped without ever being caught.

As for Holmes' survival, it's a bit of a mystery since that was a rough fall and freezing cold water. However, the package mailed to Watson was Mycroft's oxygen inhaler. The device was setup when they went to Mycroft's cabin in Switzerland. Holmes likely had it on his person and used that so he didn't drown. I imagine he thought ahead and knew how to brace himself and survive the fall and brave the water. Maybe he even had people to help him and prepare for him down below over the edge. Holmes' is a chess player and he always like to think several moves ahead so it's likely he planned the fall.

I thought the ending to the movie was perfect. I loved it.

And the cast does have great chemistry. I also really like Kelly Reilly as Mary and how she sort of begrudgingly accepts Holmes and Watson's relationship.

 

[KRIM]

Wtf? Good lord. The first movie did $24 million on opening day. And Avatar was still going strong. How does this one do $14 million with no big competition to stand in the way?

MI4 on IMAX could have lured away potential viewers since they're the same demographic.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

MI4 on IMAX could have lured away potential viewers since they're the same demographic.

But MI is only on 400 screens this week.

 

[KRIM]

But MI is only on 400 screens this week.

It's still a decent amount of change that could feasibly put a dent on opening weekend numbers. From the crowds I've heard of both films, people did seem to enjoy MI4 a lot more. Perhaps people are waiting on showings for that.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

It's still a decent amount of change that could feasibly put a dent on opening weekend numbers. From the crowds I've heard of both films, people did seem to enjoy MI4 a lot more. Perhaps people are waiting on showings for that.

10 million is a rather sizable drop. Perhaps people had a revitalized interest in Cinema back in the historic December of 2009.

 

[The Morningstar]

Everyone is skint at the moment. This Christmas is on a budget.