As I mentioned in the news thread I won't be able to see this until next Friday afternoon but am very much looking forward to it! This is also my first poll too so wasn't sure what to put for the options.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Review and Discussion
- Thread starter Admiral_Young
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I enjoyed this movie. It's a lot of fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. I liked it more than the first film which I thought dragged in places and I wasn't much impressed with Mark Strong or the mystical side taking the center of the story. Harris plays Moriarty in a very subtle way which I rather like because he's not trying to out play Downy's Holmes.
It was a good sequel, with a great ending. But it is a buddy picture, and to that end sacrifices all other characters. I enjoyed it, but was not overwhelmed by it. They used many of same visual tricks this time around, they are reliable if not as fresh upon the first viewing.
The best hook it is a historically inspired plot. Holmes nemesis I thought could of been flesh out more, but acceptable. Some plot points were presented so obscurely they seem random.
Grade=B
The
S H A T I N A T O R
The best hook it is a historically inspired plot. Holmes nemesis I thought could of been flesh out more, but acceptable. Some plot points were presented so obscurely they seem random.
Grade=B
The
S H A T I N A T O R
In the best spirit of the first one, it's all nonsense ultimately, but absurdly enjoyable and surprisingly well-made. Sherlock's deductions come so fast and furious that it's often hard to follow exactly what he's deducing, but it hangs together, and the barrage of details allows numerous plot devices to be dropped in and then reappear in surprising ways (the only one that I really anticipated in advance was Holmes' cure). Blockbusters tend to fall into predictable patterns, but this movie manages to be very unpredictable, which I appreciate a lot.
I imagine there was a realization during the drafting phase of this movie that went something like this: "Hey, remember how Christopher Nolan made Batman Begins and everyone thought it was great, but that the female lead didn't really work, and so in the sequel they had the hero's biggest nemesis kill her? We should do that."
The attempt to use Irene as a Catwoman-ish figure never really worked because the franchise ultimately kept true to Holmes' basically unromantic nature. And, really, the Holmes/Watson duo ultimately doesn't need a woman, though they've dutifully added another female character to keep the representation up and contribute a bit to the plot, though without any romantic overtones. Noomi Rapace doesn't do a whole lot, but she looks striking (very distinctive face, especially the eyes). Actually, Mary (Kelly Reilly) shows some promise that respect.
This is the Holmes and Watson show, of course, and the routine is as much fun the second time around as it was the first, which is nice. Jared Harris is a very good Moriarty.
Most of Holmes' deduction-based fight scenes seemed to be shot much faster than in the first film (and darker, in several instances), so they were a bit hard to follow. But the final confrontation with Moriarty was excellent.
I imagine there was a realization during the drafting phase of this movie that went something like this: "Hey, remember how Christopher Nolan made Batman Begins and everyone thought it was great, but that the female lead didn't really work, and so in the sequel they had the hero's biggest nemesis kill her? We should do that."
The attempt to use Irene as a Catwoman-ish figure never really worked because the franchise ultimately kept true to Holmes' basically unromantic nature. And, really, the Holmes/Watson duo ultimately doesn't need a woman, though they've dutifully added another female character to keep the representation up and contribute a bit to the plot, though without any romantic overtones. Noomi Rapace doesn't do a whole lot, but she looks striking (very distinctive face, especially the eyes). Actually, Mary (Kelly Reilly) shows some promise that respect.
This is the Holmes and Watson show, of course, and the routine is as much fun the second time around as it was the first, which is nice. Jared Harris is a very good Moriarty.
Most of Holmes' deduction-based fight scenes seemed to be shot much faster than in the first film (and darker, in several instances), so they were a bit hard to follow. But the final confrontation with Moriarty was excellent.
I hoping to see this tomorrow. I really enjoyed the first one, even though my Holmesian-fanatic-self cringed a bit at having Irena Adler as the sidekick.
I enjoyed the movie quite a bit, I'll definitely be picking up the bluray.
I'm still hoping Irene is alive because I enjoy McAdams performance, specifically her interaction with Holmes, it's a nice addition to the Holmes-Watson relationship which dominates the movie.
Here is hoping to a third installment.
I'm still hoping Irene is alive because I enjoy McAdams performance, specifically her interaction with Holmes, it's a nice addition to the Holmes-Watson relationship which dominates the movie.
Here is hoping to a third installment.
No Batman trailer in the cinema I watched it in. Went to IMAX last night to see MI:GP and no Batman sequence either! Blast!
Important stuff first...Batman trailer, top notch. Looks very intriguing.
Holmes was very well done. Saw it in 2D and it was a bit hard to watch in the fight scenes, maybe my age more than anything??
Story: well done.
Characters: Excellent, loved all the thought processes.
The climax was handled beautifully with great respect to the original source material.
I was impressed and would see it again.
Holmes was very well done. Saw it in 2D and it was a bit hard to watch in the fight scenes, maybe my age more than anything??
Story: well done.
Characters: Excellent, loved all the thought processes.
The climax was handled beautifully with great respect to the original source material.
I was impressed and would see it again.
No Batman trailer in the cinema I watched it in. Went to IMAX last night to see MI:GP and no Batman sequence either! Blast!
Did you go to a real IMAX or one of those 'fake' ones that have cropped up in conventional theatres in the last few years?
First, on the Batman trailer: Watching Anne Hathaway trying to be a femme fatale of mystery had the effect of me imagining my little sister doing it. (shiver) I reserve judgment until summer.
On the movie: Not as good as the first Guy Ritchie Holmes, but defiinitely fun to watch. RDJr is a blast as always, and the rest of the cast was good too (Stephen Fry was perfect!).
On the movie: Not as good as the first Guy Ritchie Holmes, but defiinitely fun to watch. RDJr is a blast as always, and the rest of the cast was good too (Stephen Fry was perfect!).
I actually liked this one better than the first. I enjoyed the complexity of the "crime," the mental dual between Sherlock and Moriarty, and the nod made the original material.
I really enjoyed it; it was a very fun little romp. The audience even applauded it, which doesn't happen too often around here.
I really enjoyed it; it was a very fun little romp. The audience even applauded it, which doesn't happen too often around here.
Just got back a little bit ago. I definitely enjoyed it. RDJ was splendid as always, and the interaction between Holmes and Watson was a great deal of fun. It was an intriguing story and watching everything come together was fascinating. I loved Moriarty. The character was very understated, and yet still very sinister. The chess match between him and Holmes (not just the one at the end) was interesting. I gotta say, I didn't see the end coming.
^Heh. If you'd read any of the books or short stories, you'd probably have known from the minute they entered Switzerland.
I was afraid that this movie wouldn't live up to my expectations, but it did. I loved it and I think it is a slight improvement in quality over the first one (even if it isn't as exciting a style since it is a sequel instead of a first movie). Excellent supporting performances from Fry, Rapace (who I find very sexy in her performances even though she doesn't appear conventionally beautiful in still photos; she is just one of those actresses who is great in motion; also she made me feel for the death of a character who is on screen for only a few minutes/seconds), and Harris. Overall the action was bigger and better (if sometimes a little less clear), the stakes were higher, and there was more adventure. Also Moriarty was a great villain, and the ending confrontation between him and Holmes was great.
As an example of one improvement in this movie, Holmes' predicting the sequence and outcome of a fight was used at least 3 times (that I recall now). Once it was played straight forward, the second time it was subverted by the intervention of another character, and the third we get to see an excellent, brutal, and very character-appropriate fight, and we get to see the more intellectual alternative (having our cake and eating it too as it were). This raised the level of those action sequences from "one more repeat of a cool fight dynamic" to "continuingly innovative sequence".
Sure, the movie could use a little more proactive detection (as could Nolan's Batman movies) but we can't always have everything. Maybe in part 3 (of both series)?
I think those people who haven't liked this movie either were anticipating that this movie would be something different from its predecessor, and/or they put their own, potentially, skewed perspective on Holmes. The original stories were written as entertainment, with the occasional fight or short shootout, and were always filled with adventure. Sometimes I think we put the original Doyle material on too high a pedestal (or maybe it is just looking at it through 100+ year old glasses) and forget that it was intended as period-appropriate fun and entertainment.
Other Thoughts:
I wonder if Irene will return.
I am glad the BBC Sherlock is coming back as it is another, alternative, excellent take on the material.
As for Batman - I really enjoyed the Prologue I got to see earlier this week. That really got me anticipating the movie. This trailer in front of "A Game of Shadow" was too much of a teaser for me. It didn't really show all that much new (if you have seen any of the set pictures or the prologue) and it didn't really have anything of any particular length, and Bane only got one sentence. I am waiting for a real trailer in a few months.
As an example of one improvement in this movie, Holmes' predicting the sequence and outcome of a fight was used at least 3 times (that I recall now). Once it was played straight forward, the second time it was subverted by the intervention of another character, and the third we get to see an excellent, brutal, and very character-appropriate fight, and we get to see the more intellectual alternative (having our cake and eating it too as it were). This raised the level of those action sequences from "one more repeat of a cool fight dynamic" to "continuingly innovative sequence".
Sure, the movie could use a little more proactive detection (as could Nolan's Batman movies) but we can't always have everything. Maybe in part 3 (of both series)?
I think those people who haven't liked this movie either were anticipating that this movie would be something different from its predecessor, and/or they put their own, potentially, skewed perspective on Holmes. The original stories were written as entertainment, with the occasional fight or short shootout, and were always filled with adventure. Sometimes I think we put the original Doyle material on too high a pedestal (or maybe it is just looking at it through 100+ year old glasses) and forget that it was intended as period-appropriate fun and entertainment.
Other Thoughts:
I wonder if Irene will return.
I am glad the BBC Sherlock is coming back as it is another, alternative, excellent take on the material.
As for Batman - I really enjoyed the Prologue I got to see earlier this week. That really got me anticipating the movie. This trailer in front of "A Game of Shadow" was too much of a teaser for me. It didn't really show all that much new (if you have seen any of the set pictures or the prologue) and it didn't really have anything of any particular length, and Bane only got one sentence. I am waiting for a real trailer in a few months.
Heehee. Just noticed: the poll option should read "The Game Is Afoot!" not "The Game Is A Foot," unless Sherlock actually found, you know, a foot. 
It was a real IMAX, but probably since I'm in a different country and the movie was released earlier here it might be why there was no prologue.No Batman trailer in the cinema I watched it in. Went to IMAX last night to see MI:GP and no Batman sequence either! Blast!
Did you go to a real IMAX or one of those 'fake' ones that have cropped up in conventional theatres in the last few years?
I didn't realize the spelling error on Afoot! For those who've seen the movie I'm wondering how Noomi Rapace does as Sim?
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