Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

A Worthy Adversary

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Rated: PG-13 Some drug material, intense sequences of violence and of action
Release Date: December 16, 2011
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 min

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Director: Guy Ritchie
Writers: Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney, characters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams, Jared Harris, Stephen Fry, Paul Anderson, Kelly Reilly

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SYNOPSIS: As Dr. Watson prepares for his wedding day, Sherlock Holmes immerses himself in the hunt for Professor Moriarty, his most vile and intelligent adversary. As the stakes are raised and Holmes' friends are threatened, Holmes reenlists Dr. Watson's aid in the pursuit of his enemy.

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REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes returns! Director Guy Ritchie returns for a follow up to the 2009 Sherlock Holmes. The writer/director of Snatch, RocknRolla, and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Guy Ritchie relinquishes writing duties to a new duo of Holmes scribes, Michele and Kiera Mulroney of Ryan Reynolds' Paper Man. Will this turn for the incomparable Sherlock Holmes be elementary?

The tireless Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr., Iron Man) has used his detective skills since the close of the Lord Blackwood case to follow and compile a string of seemingly unrelated tragedies, deaths, and strange occurrences. All the ribbon threads from his investigations lead him back to the elusive Dr. Moriarty (Jared Harris, AMC's "Mad Men"). To what end to Professor Moriarty's motives serve? As the good doctor 'ties up loose ends' to someone close to Holmes, Sherlock must quicken his pace to unravel the machinations of this most serious foe. The plot involves a gypsy woman, Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 2009) that Sherlock meets during Watson's stag party. After the wedding of his associate Dr. Watson (Jude Law, Hugo), Sherlock ruins the honeymoon plans in order to save both Dr. Watson and his new bride Mary (Kelly Reilly, Eden Lake). Enter Sherlock's ironically more eccentric brother Mycroft (Stephen Fry, V for Vendetta) to aide in the efforts, as snarky and arrogant as his brother. Aiding Professor Moriarty is a former British sharpshooter, Colonel Sebastian Moran (Paul Anderson, A Lonely Place to Die).

Where Sherlock Holmes dealt with the Baker Street detective dealing with Lord Blackwood's technology masked as the occult, the sequel deals with a much more sinister plot and vile villain with Professor Moriarty. Lord Blackwood wanted to return England to its former glory and regain the American Colonies. The genius Professor Moriarty has men and women do his bidding and ultimately ends their lives when their usefulness to him runs its course, all in the pursuit to start a European war that he can profit from.

Professor Moriarty is arguably the greatest adversary to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, although he only appears in the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Holmes tale, "The Adventure of the Final Problem" and mentioned in the subsequently published "The Valley of Fear". In Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Professor Moriarty is ever Sherlock's equal and superior, having genius level intellect and champion boxing skills. Considered the "Napoleon of Crime" by Holmes, Moriarty is certainly his arch-nemesis, Holmes spending months collecting data and thwarting Moriarty's operations at every available turn.


A Game of Shadows focuses on the detective dance between Holmes and Moriarty, but still has time to  expand on the Watson and Holmes relationship. Like an old married couple, they nag and prod at each other relentlessly, all the while suffering in silence at the brotherly love they share and the hollowness they experience when apart. Their affection is infectious, their barbs humorous. Downey Jr's Holmes is becoming the hip version that Holmes would aspire to if not kept primarily on PBS or BBC.

The action is superb, the mix of slow motion and quick edits making for visual candy. Moriarty's master plans deserve the attention of a detective of Holmes caliber and a story set on the silver screen. Ritchie's unique vision and the Mulroneys' story make for a grander stage for Holmes and Watson to work on. Stretching much farther than the streets of London and the surrounding countryside, the sequel at times is both slower and expansive. But keeping with a formula that works from the first film, and breaking the mold whenever possible, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is worth a closer look.

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WORTH: Matinee and DVD

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Due Date

Running On A Full Tank

[Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan]

image from hollywoodgo.com

RANT: Hello November. The leaves are changing color. The landscapers have traded in their mowers for blowers as their primary gasoline driven tool. As I return from the theater today, I apologetically drove through a pile of leaves the workers had blown together on the driveway. It hearkened back to being a kid, running through the leaves, except this time with a 2,000 lb. car!

SYNOPSIS: Peter Highman needs to get across the country to be with his wife for her scheduled C-section of their first child. Put on a "No Fly" list because of aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay, Peter is forced into a road trip with him in an attempt to get to Los Angeles in time.

Todd Phillips, director of comedy gold such as "The Hangover", "Old School" and "Starsky & Hutch", re-teams with Zach Galifianakis and adds Robert Downey, Jr. to the roster to bring us a good old-fashioned at-odds, must-get-home buddy road flick. In the spirit of "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" and "Tommy Boy", Downey, Jr. stars as high-strung, impatient architect Peter Highman, trying to get home to Los Angeles for the birth of his child. Galifianakis co-stars as aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay, who from the first time they meet in passing at the airport causes Peter nothing but problems and barriers to getting home to the west coast.

Of course Ethan accidentally switches bags at the airport departures curbside, causing Peter to be detained for contraband. Of course, Ethan decides to spout to Peter about turning off his cell phone while getting ready for takeoff, mentioning terrorists and bombs, causing both to be escorted off the flight and onto a 'no-fly" list. With no wallet or ID, Peter cannot rent a car and is forced to travel with Ethan as he attempts to make his way to Hollywood to become a television actor, with hopes to scatter his father's ashes at the Grand Canyon on the way.

There are great moments of laughter in the film. Be sure to look for the coffee grounds incident at Peter's friend Darryl's house in Texas. The moment of understanding between Peter and Ethan's Craig List "glaucoma pharmacist's" son is unexpected, oh so wrong, and hilarious. And try never to mistake a Mexico border crossing for a Texaco gas station when you are low on fuel. But this film has heart too.

Where Zach's Ethan is a constant source of amusement and frustration for Robert's Peter (and laughs for us), he gives some touching moments as he is as uncomfortable and tortured in his own skin as we know he must be. The mission to scatter his father's ashes is as much an emotional and spiritual journey as a physical one.

Sometimes the switches from comedy to drama and back again is disconcerting, but it supports the growth of both Peter and Ethan on their cross-country quests. At the end, you will definitely know and care more about them both, without resorting to asking Ethan's endless series of questions.

Worth: Matinee

I am also trying out a new rating system shown below based on reader reaction to my somewhat complex monetary rating scale. I will give both ratings and see what kind of reaction I muster. A movie can receive up to 5 popcorn buckets. Why popcorn buckets? Because I am a slave to the thousand + calorie delight! Enjoy!

Iron Man 2

Iron and Intrigue

[Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell]

Even though I was under the weather a bit, I still made it out to the theater for the sophomore effort of Iron Man. I indulged in a bucket of pop corn and kicked back for the festivities.

SYNOPSIS: Tony Stark and his alter ego, Iron Man, are targeted by a genius looking for revenge against the Stark family and a weapons manufacturer looking to take over Stark's government contracts.

As with all sequels, the same question comes up. Can you guess? Of course you know what it is. The question is whether Iron Man 2 is better or as good as the original. Cameron's "Aliens" pleased Scott's "Alien" fans with more fear and fire power, "Spider-man 2" grew up after "Spider-man" origins, and "The Empire Strikes Back" was the peak of the series, whether it is considered part 2 or 5. But for every "Empire...", there is a "Poltergeist 2", "Predator 2" and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2". Where does "iron Man 2" fit in?

Reviewers have been critical about the film, and understandingly so. "Iron Man" was a great retelling of the Marvel character's origin. A great mix of humor and action, kinetic and fast-paced. "Iron Man 2" strives for the same humor and succeeds, but is tempered by less action and more intrigue. Where the original was straight forward, "Iron Man 2" delves a little deeper into the Stark psyche and his personal demons. While there are a pair of villains in each film, Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko and Sam Rockwell as the defense weaponeer Justin Hammer ramp up the vile and vengeance.

Robert Downey, Jr. returns as the billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, mere months after he announced to the world that he was the armored avenger, Iron Man. Failing to manage his company, his hero duties, and his deteriorating health, he turns the reign of Stark CEO over to Pepper Potts. Fearing his own mortality, Stark spirals out of control with drinking and recklessness, in and out of the suit.

Downey's supporting cast mesh in this second outing. Don Cheadle's Rhodey replaces Terrance Howard without skipping a beat. And he finally gets to don the suit under the guise of War Machine. Rourke brings a wonderful Russian accent and dense intensity to every frame as the hybrid marvel villain Ivan Vanko (Crimson Dynamo) using the tech of the villain Whiplash. Sam Rockwell weasels and worms his way through the movie as Stark's second string defense contractor rival Justin Hammer, pulling all possible strings to undermine Stark and his company in order to get government contracts. Scarlet Johansson joins S.H.I.E.L.D. as the double agent Black Widow, and Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg return as Nick Fury and Agent Coulson, providing easter eggs, hints and clues as to the expanding Marvel universe.

I know I haven't answered the question as to whether "Iron Man 2" is as good or better than the original. Whether it is or not doesn't seem to have had any effect on its box office numbers. And in the end, the legacy of the second "Iron Man" film will rest, not on the words of the critics, but in the hearts of the fans.

One final word, stay to the end of the end credits for a hint at things to come.

Worth: Matinee and BluRay