Sherlock Game of Shadows clever and compelling

Well, hopefully everyone has survived Christmas and managed to push away from the table and wander off to a piece of furniture that’s load bearing. I think it might be too much to review Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol so we’ll take the more sedentary Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, or as I like to call it, SH2
I think we’re past the point of finding Robert Downey Jr’s comeback amazing. I do think he’s a better actor post drugs and brings exactly the right edge to one of my favorite literary characters. I read the books, watched the movies back in the day and really enjoyed the original in this updated model and once again Downey Jr. is great as the slightly askew genius.
In this year’s model, we get the back story behind his ongoing feud with Moriarty, played here by the not so well-known Jared Harris, who has done a lot of television and is also the son of Richard Harris. He’s quite competent as the mad nemesis who seems to be able to match Holmes in terms of skill and intellect and of course he has the advantage of being an evil genius and not having to play by the rules of society. Bonus. Director Guy Ritchie takes a back seat to the story this time and it works. There’s less obtuse angles and fancy boy photography and I liked it more as a result.
Our story so far:
Watson is about to marry his beloved Mary and is done with the crime fighting game. He asks Holmes to be his best man and true to the role Holmes throws him a bachelor party relevant to the times. There’s a lot of drinking, Sherlock’s brother shows up, and there’s a gypsy. Sounds like my brother’s second wedding. But I digress.
One of the things that makes this film work is the gritty reality of it.
I like that Holmes is a rough and tough character. He doesn’t have to just rely on his wits and skills even though he can. He’ll just knock you out.
He fights, he parties, he looks after his firends and he tries to negotiate with Moriarty that Watson is out of bounds but the Professor will have no part of that. Holmes is his mortal enemy and your friend is my enemy as evil geniuses go. So, it’s on.
This is definitely not your father’s Sherlock Holmes and I think we’re better for it although I really did like Nigel Rathbone’s portrayal.
This has a chase scene and explosions and even some almost full frontal male nudity. Yikes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would be spinning in his grave.
I didn’t realize that Moriarty is a new obsession. He was only in one of the original stories but has become the centre of the Holmes legacy .
It works. Heroes are always defined by their nemesis. In this case it works really well.
Women play a secondary role in the film but it’s well written so there’s no loss of impact, but this is about the boys, and I strongly recommend you see this film. It’s clever and fun and compelling. Of course, I was riding a gravy buzz so who knows.
As always, other opinions are welcome, but wrong. That’s it for this week. The cheque’s in the mail and I’m outta here. Paul