A common bit of conventional wisdom regarding action and adventure films (or any medium, for that matter) is that the villain has to be as good (in terms of impact on the viewer) as the hero, or even better. This allows for both protagonist and antagonist to both be three-dimensional, great onscreen chemistry and tension, and embeds the characters in the viewers' minds long after the movie's ended.
After all, if you say "John McClane", you gotta mention Hans Gruber in the same breath. Luke Skywalker wasn't Luke Skywalker without Darth Vader. It's even more important to be careful in adapting bitter rivalries that originally appeared in literature. These are enmities that have stood the test of time for years, and therefore needed to be treated with the utmost respect and reverence when Hollywood comes a-callin'.
When Guy Ritchie's slick, surprisingly entertaining re-imagining of Arthur Conan Doyle's eponymous detective Sherlock Holmes was released in 2009, the filmmakers strangely decided not to pit the eccentric sleuth against his famous archenemy: the sinister and brilliant Professor James Moriarty, who was widely and previously depicted in books, films, and radio serials as Holmes' intellectual equal. I personally thought it was a wise omission, allowing greater focus on reintroducing Holmes to audiences, and replaced Moriarty with an original villain who didn't threaten to steal the spotlight from the great Robert Downey Jr.
Of course, since the first film was a major success both critically and commercially, the sequel was inevitable, and it seemed like a prime opportunity to bring the Professor into the mix. But unfortunately, any focus Ritchie and his crew had the first time around gets mostly lost in translation in favor of recycled action sequences in the less-than-stellar Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
It's 1891, and eccentric but brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has been on the hunt for what he believes to be the mastermind between a series of bombings between Germany and France, actions that could very well pit both nations in a full-out war. Unfortunately, Holmes has been forced to act solo, considering that his former partner, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), is getting married to Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly).
Despite his reservations over his friend preparing to settle down, Holmes nonetheless has a hunch that the man behind the bombings is none other than the renowned Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris). Despite having no concrete proof, Holmes believes that Moriarty plans to financially capitalize on the potential war.
After a stag party for Watson goes awry, Holmes looks for help in the form of his well-connected brother Mycroft (Stephen Fry), as well as traveling gypsy Simza (Noomi Rapace) who Holmes saved from an attempted assassination, which Holmes believes is connected to the bombing conspiracy. Convincing Watson to join him on one last adventure, Holmes races against time to get a step ahead of the conniving Moriarty and thwart his goals of continent-wide destruction.
Part of what made the first Sherlock Holmes so engaging was the witty, intelligently-written, and almost whimsical tone and screenplay. The production design and aesthetic adopted a steampunk feel and a fast-paced style of editing that focused more on the details than merely assaulting the senses. It was a novel style of filmmaking that benefited even more from the terrific performances and camaraderie between Downey and Law.
But the second time around, it feels like nothing has really changed. Despite the initial fun one has with the "blink-and-you'll-miss-it-but-we'll-repeat-it-later-in-flashbacks-anyway" storytelling, it seems like Ritchie is complacent with stuffing the film with action sequences and other related filler, rather than really focusing on the adversarial relationship between Holmes and Moriarty like he should.
That's not to say that Jared Harris is bad in his role. Appropriately menacing and clearly able to trade intellectual barbs with Downey (once again a blast to watch) at ease, there are a few moments in the film that reveals promise of a true battle of the minds (such as a lighthouse torture sequence, and the film's climax), but they're either too short to appreciate, or violently interrupted by more special effects and action.
The cast is no small potatoes, but they can't completely salvage the proceedings. Downey and Law once again have a great "Odd Couple" chemistry together, and the legendary Stephen Fry does what he can with Holmes' bon vivant older brother. Sadly, the same can't be said for the movie's female presence: Noomi Rapace (of the original Swedish Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) has absolutely no wiggle room in her rote role as a French gypsy, and Kelly Reilly-- despite having more screentime this time around-- is wasted in her role as Watson's aggravated fiancee.
Production and costume design is once again a sight to behold, with a grubby portrait of Victorian England that pays exquisite attention to detail. Composer Hans Zimmer (who was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the first Holmes) delivers another enjoyable soundtrack replete with pub piano, banjos, and other unconventional orchestration (eagle-eared viewers will catch a sample of Ennio Morricone's score for Two Mules for Sister Sara during a funny sequence halfway through the film).
Overall, lightning didn't really strike twice for Doyle's detective, with an overemphasis on hyper-stylized action overriding much-needed character development and a more focused screenplay. But enjoyable performances from its two leads makes A Game of Shadows one worth playing, if only once.
Letter Grade: "C"
