Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows

Guy Ritchie has done it again!!  Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows pits Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) against his arch nemesis Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris).  If you have not seen the first Sherlock Holmes, don’t worry, these movies were written independently of each other; meaning that it is not necessary to see the first to understand the second. Fans of Guy Ritchie distinctive style will find this film chopped full of dynamic camera angles, witty British humor, and cleaver misdirection. And anyone who has never seen a Guy Ritchie film, is in for a treat!

The movie begins in 1891; Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) is walking through the streets of London to deliver a package. She is met by Sherlock Holmes (Downey Jr.), who is in return met by the 5 men who are escorting her to her destination. After evading the men (in only the way Sherlock can!)Holmes arrives just in the nick of time to save the day. Although, with the disaster averted, fearing for her life Adler (McAdams) meets in a very public place with the sender of the package; Professor Moriarty (Harris)to explain why things did not go according to plan. Moriarty disappointed that Adler has allowed her feeling for Holmes to interfere with her ability for her to do her job, to which Moriarty advises, “I will no longer be in need of your services”. 

 On the eve of Dr. John Watson s (Jude Law) wedding to fiance Mary (Kelly Riley), Holmes seeks out the assistance of local fortune teller Madam Simza (Noomi Rapace) but she escapes before Holmes can obtain the information he needs. Holmes convinces Watson to take on one more great adventure with his old friend. Chasing after Moriarty they must first locate Simza, to piece together the puzzle of Moriarty’s grand scheme. Will they be able to stop Moriarty’s plan? Has Holmes finally met his intellectual equal?


I rate this movie 7.5 of 10.
Run time: 129 minutes
Rated: PG 13