My Movie Review on Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Greetings, my good friends.

This is your friendly film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.

Today, for my 99th film analysis, I'm going to be reviewing "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows".

Here's the summary of it:

During preparations for Dr. Watson's marriage to Mary Morstan, a string of murders and terrorist attacks plagues Europe. Sherlock Holmes deduces that each event is connected to one person: Professor James Moriarty, a criminal mastermind with intelligence large enough to rival Holmes's. All the while, Holmes discovers that Moriarty has embroiled both him and Watson against the villain in a battle of wits, and that the brother of a gypsy, Madam Simza Heron, is working for Moriarty in a scheme to cause ultimate war!

Will Holmes, Watson, and Heron somehow beat Moriarty in the game he's created? Or will Moriarty win and have his way?

I really must say, if the mission was to literally try making this sequel even better than its predecessor, then I have two words to say about it:

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

In every way, this sequel was able to outdo the first film as if it granted someone's wish to do so.

For instance, the direction by Guy Ritchie, and the story by Kieran Mulroney and Michele Mulroney, were incredibly well-done. The team filled the film to the brim with surprise and unpredictability that never seemed to stop itself, and there was a gigantic amount of wit, humor, drama, and emotion that helped it be all-the-more alive. Ritchie's use of footage in slow-motion or sped up, as well as his incredible knack for action sequences, was astounding.

The music by Hans Zimmer was quite delightful too. For the first film, I commented that it was unique among other things. In this film, though, Zimmer raised himself up a notch by giving the music the feel of an orchestra being a part of what's happening with the characters, and the results were magnificent!

Finally, the acting, characters, and character development were spectacular. As with the first film, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law were awesome in the parts of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, and the developments of each of the characters were spot-on. The chemistry and brotherly bond between Holmes and Watson were also as inventive and fun as ever.

The film's additions of Jared Harris as Moriarty, Paul Anderson as Sebastian Moran, and Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes were likewise excellent. I can definitely see why Moriarty is perhaps the most famous and dangerous adversary of Holmes to date. He literally proved to be just that, and Jared Harris was perfect for the role. Stephen Fry and his character of Mycroft Holmes were able to successfully steal the show any chance they got, if I may add. Likewise, Paul Anderson did a terrific job portraying Sebastian Moran, and I'm deeply hoping to see him appear in the upcoming third Sherlock Holmes film.

In conclusion, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" was a surprisingly superb follow-up to the first movie, and it's quite likely even the very best of Guy Ritchie's career by far. I certainly hope that the upcoming third film set for next year's Christmas season and directed by Dexter Fletcher will prove to be worth the ten year wait, that's for sure.

So, I rate "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" five out of five stars.