Film File - Sherlock Holmes 2: Game Of Shadows
by John Daly Updated: Wednesday, 14th December, 2011 4:56pm
Noomi Rapace as Sim, Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Dr Watson in the action adventure mystery 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows'.
If it's Christmas, it must be time for another seasonal helping of the world's most famous detective - Sherlock Holmes.
In the second instalment of this brand new take on the famous cunning sleuth, director Guy Richie discards the fusty upper-class twittery of the Basil Rathbone films of the 1950s to give us a Holmes & Watson ready to wade chest deep in the murky, bloody waters of crime.
Again mixing high farce, pacy drama and some eye-opening action scenes, this one arrives with perfect timing for the holidays - and a much deserved few hours of entertainment away from the wearying euro crisis.
Once again, Robert Downey Jnr reprises his role as the world's most famous detective, with Jude Law returning as his dandyish friend and colleague, Dr Watson.
As heralded at the end of last year's film, the superior brain of Holmes gets a severe testing from the latest criminal mastermind on the block, Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), an individual with equal brainpower, plus a capacity for global mayhem never seen before in jolly old Blighty.
Around the globe, a strange series of events begins to dominate the headlines: a scandal takes down an Indian cotton tycoon, a Chinese opium trader dies of an apparent overdose, bombings in Strasbourg and Vienna, the death of an American steel magnate - all interlinked, with only Holmes clever enough to discern a deliberate web of death and destruction.
At its centre sits the singularly sinister Moriarty, who else? Donning their hats, telling Mrs Hudson to hold off on serving the afternoon tea, Holmes and Watson head off into the foggy gloom with the trademark cry, "The game's afoot!".
Their investigation into Moriarty's plot becomes ever more complex and dangerous as it leads out of London to France, Germany and, finally, Switzerland, with the cunning professor always one step ahead, and moving close to completing his dastardly plan.
Like all megalomaniacs, Moriarty is playing a high stakes game of poker here - one that will not only bring him immense wealth and power but alter the course of history into the bargain. We'd expect nothing less.
In her first English-speaking role, Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, who gained international attention in the original Swedish adaptation of 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo', plays Sim, a mysterious gypsy who joins with Holmes and Watson in their quest to stop Moriarty.
The wonderful Stephen Fry once again plays Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's decidedly eccentric older brother, a perfect piece of casting. He steals every scene in which he appears.
Returning from the first film, the cast also includes Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler, Kelly Reilly as Watson's bride, Mary Morstan; Eddie Marsan as Inspector Lestrade, and Geraldine James as Holmes's long-suffering landlady, Mrs Hudson.
Scripted by Michele and Kieran Mulroney, the film also benefits from the return of an ace backroom crew - including director of photography Philippe Rousselot, production designer Sarah Greenwood, costume designer Jenny Beavan, and composer Hans Zimmer.
Like the new James Bond series where Daniel Craig has turned over the relatively gentle spycraft of Pierce Brosnan for a much more robust 007, the new Sherlock Holmes has upset many purists who declare it's nothing like Arthur Conan Doyle originally created a century ago.
They may be right - but one thing is for sure, this is a rollicking adventure with plentiful moments of humour, sharp scripting and enough action to keep any armchair sleuth vastly amused.
Downey and Law are a class act, and should in all likelihood become a regular part of Christmas for many years to come.
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