Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

This is exactly how I imagined that a pop culture update by Sherlock Holmes might look. A gourmet experience with a completely exclusive Holmes vs. Moriarty gambit. Despite many mistakes, a beautiful, intense and charmingly deliberate blockbuster, which has what the first film lacked the most... A soul. (2011-12-30)

The screenplay was a rushed job and has only a couple of really excellent moments and the conflict of the two arch rivals is not depicted appropriately. But it’s still an entertaining romp full of snappy lines with excellent visuals. Effective slow-motion sequences are in exactly the right place and are breathtaking. The scene with “Hansel" in the forest and the final confrontation (an successfully transformed ending of one of the most important stories) and simply awesome. The story is awfully schematic, chases alternate with fights, and there isn’t much room for any hint of inevitability, even though the material for it is here. (2012-01-11)

I wished for a new take on good old Sherlock Holmes. I wanted an interesting, unexpected, and off-the-wall plot. And then all I needed for perfection was something that would take my breath away. But that's not how it works here... Everything is kind of the same as it was before, and I have nothing to be surprised by. I felt like I was watching an attempt to improve on the first episode. I often had to work to keep my attention on the film. I found some of the dialogue to be completely unnecessary. What saves it is the fantastic atmosphere and strong actors. I have to point out in particular the few minutes on the train and the perfect escape through the forest. The ending at least brought a smile to my face. 3.5 stars. (2012-01-16)

Loaded guns, brains in full swing, deduction vibrating at maximum. When Holmes' deductive/martial arts escapades conquered cinemas for the first time, I eagerly swallowed every one of Guy Ritchie's ideas, and when Robert Downey, Jr., with a sparkle in his eyes, uncovers a web of intrigues for the second time, I applaud again. Moriarty is indeed the perfect nemesis, capable of threatening the most mundane situation, and in such moments, one needs not only a loyal partner but perhaps also an exhibitionistic brother figure with a shaky staff. This impressive action-oriented approach simply suits me amidst the faltering Victorian era, and the whole creative team effortlessly navigates through emotions and locations with me. Please, dear Watson, bring me a trilogy. (2012-01-15)

The sequel seems to me even more than ever before, that Ritchie says to the audience “come have fun with me”, but behind the curtain it's nothing but a brutal attack on the wallets of the audience, who go to the cinema almost automatically for guaranteed entertainment. The result is a film where everything is a cliché that people complain about on one side, but still mindlessly watch over and over again. I was not entertained in almost anything. Perhaps only technically, it is a very above-par film and some shots (yes, the action scene in the forest) are worth it. Otherwise, it's boring, clichéd, with a few jokes. Instant fast food that becomes outdated at the speed of sound. (2012-05-15)