A street-fighting man who can perceive and analyze events with the speed and precision of a bullet. This may not match what most conceptions of Sherlock Holmes are, but this is the detective we have. No deerstalker cap, no fifteen minute scenes featuring meditation with opiates, Robert Downey Jr. and Guy Ritchie's interpretation does not insist on strict adherence to adaptation.
Guy Ritchie's passive aggressive bromance was in its newlywed stage in 2009, but the central mystery at the heart of the film left a lot to be desired. Lord Blackwood was clever, but undoubtedly no match for the legendary Sherlock Holmes in a battle of wits.
Enter Professor James Moriarty. Jared Harris may not have sat atop the list of Holmes' mortal enemy cast choices, yet we have a worthy foe of the man on Baker Street. He seemingly does not provide a physical match for Holmes, but he more than makes up for that deficiency in malice. His prim appearance and cerebral manner masks a delight in blowing up heads of state across the globe.
The explosions throughout the Old World are being blamed on anarchists, but Holmes suspects a velvet glove drawing up these schemes. In the meantime, no one is safe until Holmes has his partner to bounce theories off of.
The good doctor John Watson (Jude Law) and his wife may have to suspend their honeymoon in the meantime while the "partners" find out. Holmes will be pleased to interrupt their marital proceedings as he is really the only company Dr. Watson should ever need. John may need some time to himself after finding out that Sherlock threw his wife off the train though, even if it was for her own safety. Yes, Holmes still lacks that charismatic touch when it comes to others.
Ritchie notches up the stylistic tone for Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows and while a majority of it works, a few notable scenes detract attention away from the characters to satisfy the obligatory explosion here and there. Rest easy, the repartee between Downey Jr. and Law is more than satisfactory.
However, the final match between Holmes and Moriarty—you knew it was coming—is resplendent. Very few actors can pull off any emotional intensity during the course of a chess match, but for every parry Downey offers, a pugilistic blow is landed by Harris. For our benefit, Holmes may very well have the case of his career on his hands.
***/****
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