Review: Guy Ritchie Steps It Up For 'Sherlock' Sequel

By Michael Lopez

You've got to hand it to director Guy Ritchie, he's definitely given Sherlock Holmes a modern kick in the butt. Gone are the stuffy English formalities and slow-paced mysteries. Here, we get explosions, train wrecks, and a British detective with fists of steel! It all works rather well for this week's Holmes sequel, A Game of Shadows, keeping audiences entertained until the very last minute.

Honestly, we were a little nervous when we heard that Sherlock 2 was getting fast-tracked to December. The original came out barely two years ago and many fans were nervous the writers didn't have time to properly flesh out a followup. Happily that's not the case here, as this story seems wittier and more engaging than its predecessor.

It’s also great to see the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law develop. It's clear these actors work brilliantly off of each other. Downey Jr.'s Holmes is the fast talking man of action, with a mind that works at a rapid pace. Law's Dr. Watson is much more even-tempered and a rather unwilling participant in the Game.

An exciting addition to this sequel is the Sherlock nemesis, Professor Moriarty. Played menacingly by Jared Harris, this villain proves to be quite a rival for the great detective. A man of superior intellect, Moriarty is the puppeteer of the Game of Shadows, constantly leaving our heroes guessing about his dastardly plans.

Swedish actress Noomi Rapace also makes her Sherlock debut with this movie and if we have one criticism, it's that she's sorely underused. A engaging actress, her role as the gypsy sidekick Simza never quite materializes into anything of substance.

As expected, Jude and Robert deliver superb performances, but the real Holmes hero is Ritchie. His film style really sets this movie apart from anything else in theaters. The choreographed action sequences, the gorgeous scenery, and the visualization of Holmes' analyses kept us on our feet from beginning to end!

Bottom line: All of us yearning for a summeresque blockbuster during these cold winter months have found our salvation. This Sherlock Holmes sequel delivers one heck of a punch in the action department and it's got a sharp story to boot. Plus, they're showing the newest Dark Knight Rises trailer before the film. That's win/win in our book!

Are you planning on watching Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Guy Ritchie, Jared Harris, Jude Law, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Noomi Rapace, Robert Downey Jr, Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, The Dark Knight Rises