SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Grade: C
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace, Stephen Fry, Kelly Reilly, Paul Anderson and Rachel McAdams
PREMISE: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson race against time to stop a terrorist mastermind from discreetly forcing Europe into war.

RATED PG-13 for action, sensuality, some language and rude humor and a brief scene of torture

As one of the few movie critic types who actually enjoyed and recommended the first Sherlock Holmes movie, I was extremely disappointed, upon finally getting to see the sequel, that it's a step back in every way. Oh, the like-an-old-married-couple banter still exists between Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock and Jude Law's Watson, there's some cool action, some neat-o special effects and a few big laughs, but this movie, even more than Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, is merely recycling what made the first movie intriguing, and then cranking up the volume and the mayhem. This results in a film with too many gimmicks, too many loose ends, and a frustrating air of self-indulgence.

Plot: Poor Dr. Watson! The man can't even get married and go on his honeymoon with his bride (Kelly Reilly) without his friend/partner/other half Holmes making things difficult! Is it technically Holmes' fault the doctor is now a target of super-smart superterrorist Professor James Moriarty (a solid Jared Harris)? No. But Holmes and Watson have put enough heat on Moriarty-a distinguished bilingual Cambridge professor-that he's forced to send men after them to keep them from ruining his master plan: to make a quick fortune by producing wartime supplies (everything from bombs to bandages) and then pulling a few strings (or triggers) in order to incite a "world war" amongst the European countries. Holmes and Watson's tracking of Moriarty soon has them crossing paths with a French gypsy (Noomi Rapace), whose brother was taken captive and brainwashed by the terrorist. Dodging assassins and booby traps at every turn, Holmes, Watson, and their new friend--with help from Sherlock's equally-smart brother Mycroft (Stephen Fry)--hurry to stop Moriarty from forcing the French and German governments' hands by staging an assassination at an international peace summit.

What Works?
As has been the case ever since Iron Man (2008) revived his career, Downey Jr. is effortlessly watchable. His character's rapport with the equally-solid Law seemingly can't fail to be at least a little entertaining. Some of the gags are lame and the lines cheesy, but the two make a great action-comedy pair, in the tradition of Gibson-Glover (Lethal Weapon), Tucker-Chan (Rush Hour), and Smith-Jones (Men in Black). As their nemesis, Jared Harris is not only impressively sinister but under-used; he's almost too-legitimate of a villain for a silly popcorn movie like this. A lot of the action scenes are also involving, and some of the "big reveals" Holmes uncovers throughout the movie have a refreshing "ah-ha!" effect, which was the key ingredient of success for the original.

What Doesn't Work?
First, wasting talented actors like Stephen Fry and Noomi Rapace in pointless roles--especially Rapace, who has a big-enough part that she gets third billing in this film behind Downey Jr. and Law. Also taking every inventive stunt or engaging action scene and making it three times as long as it needs to be. And there are unfortunately too many of those "ah-ha" moments, so many that it becomes distracting and the movie develops an annoyingly-repetitive feel. Finally, the film seems to have bitten off more than it could chew, as the multiple storylines and character arcs fail to be resolved at the film's end, leaving some characters and developments out to dry as if they were never there. Ultimately, the film is a little hard to follow and a little bit of a bore, never a good thing for an action blockbuster.

Content: Cussing is minimal, as is suggestive material, and, for the amount of guns-blazing, knives-flying mayhem depicted onscreen, there's little actual sinister material. With the exception of one brief scene, you're never worried that the good guys are going to make it. Really, the most problematic issue for this film is that it can be difficult to follow, and viewers of all ages might need to help understanding what's going on.

Bottom Line (I Promise): Overblown and a little self-indulgent, A Game of Shadows is a big step down from the 2009 original. Downey Jr. and Law are still good, and Harris makes an effective villain, but Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's faithful followers are going to have heart attacks, and people who like movies might just join them.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Written by Michele Mulroney and Keiran Mulroney; based on characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Rated PG-13
Length: 129 minutes