Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

-
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris
Directed by Guy Ritchie

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his partner Watson (Jude Law) are back, this time they're up against Holmes' greatest foe, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), who plans on bringing about a world war by manipulating the worlds' governments.  With the help of gypsy Simza (Noomi Rapace), whose brother has joined Moriarty's cause, Holmes and Watson travel to Paris and Switzerland to stop Moriarty's evil plan.

Once again directed by Guy Ritchie, "A Game of Shadows" re-unites Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and their chemistry is none the less powerful.  They play off each other in a brilliant way that transcends the film and really draws you into what is happening, while along the way bringing about the dry wit both are well known for.  The full introduction of Moriarty also adds to the Sherlock Holmes mythos, brilliantly performed by Jared Harris.  The addition of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" star Rapace rounds out a powerhouse four-person performance, filled with intrigue, action, and a very cerebral storyline, everything you would expect from a Holmes tale.  Ritchie's flair for the dramatic is highly visible in the dazzling slow-motion sequences.

Loosely taken from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work "The Final Problem," we're treated to the true game of wits between Holmes and Moriarty in a true epic showdown, where what you see might not be what is reality.  This is not a film to be seen casually, but to really understand and appreciate it, you have to see it with an open mind and complete concentration.  If you do, you'll find it to be a riveting game of cat-and-mouse, a power struggle between two genius minds.

My Rating: A-

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Major Theatrical Releases May 2019

-
Image
Major Theatrical Releases May 2019 After the hype that is "Avengers: Endgame," May offers a massive collection of differing types of movies, enough to entertain everyone. Here are the major theatrical releases for May 2019. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** **DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**  The Intruder May 3 Dennis Quaid goes from starring the family-friendly "A Dog's Journey" to playing a total psycho in "The Intruder."  When a young couple purchases a home from Quaid's character Charlie, they didn't realize it came with an addition - Charlie himself, who can't seem to let his old home go.  I don't expect any twists or turns in this tale, and this looks like a film better fit for Lifetime than the big screen.  Long Shot May 3 Charlize Theron stars as Charlotte Field, the current Secretary of State and who's running for President.  Seth Rogen stars as Fred Flarsky, a
Read more

Witch

-
Image
Witch Starring Russell Shaw, Ryan Spong, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Fabrizio Santino Directed by Craig Hinde & Marc Zammit Movies about witches are about a dime a dozen, and follow the same formula: typically set in a time period long ago (since now, fortunately, the stigma of witches has been lessened and the religious fervor has diminished), in a small Puritanical town, a girl is accused of witchcraft which spirals the town into a frenzy filled with suspicion, doubt, and murder until the witch is put to religious justice. While that's not necessarily a bad formula (Robert Eggers' "The VVitch" and Mario Bava's "Black Sunday" immediately come to mind), most films fall by the wayside. "Witch" is a small film that, at first glance, seems to follow the mold before completely shattering it in a second act twist that's daring, provocative, and works in a lot of levels, but could've been more pronounced if given a bigger budget. In the small
Read more

Special Review: "Midwest Sessions"

-
Image
Special Review: "Midwest Sessions" Directed by Mario Ricciardi Independent filmmaking is a fascinating concept, wherein the director and everyone involved sets out to make something unique, different, and go against the traditional status quo of what's defined as a "blockbuster." These films aren't usually seen by the masses and won't be included in the top ten highest grossing movies of all time, but they offer something those films don't: a heart and commitment by the people involved to craft something wholly distinctive that tell a story in their own way. Such is "Midwest Sessions," a local film directed by Mario Ricciardi that centers on the city of Youngstown, Ohio, and the captivating people who live there. Told in different vignettes that seem distinct and different from one another but coming together as a whole in the end, it's an engrossing film that utilizes its shoestring budget and gives great performances, decent effects a
Read more