Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty.

Director:

Guy Ritchie

Writers:

Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney,

Stars:

Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams

2 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Sherlock Holmes
Jude Law	...	Dr. John Watson
Noomi Rapace	...	Madam Simza Heron
Rachel McAdams	...	Irene Adler
Jared Harris	...	Professor James Moriarty
Stephen Fry	...	Mycroft Holmes
Paul Anderson	...	Colonel Sebastian Moran
Kelly Reilly	...	Mary Watson
Geraldine James	...	Mrs. Hudson
Eddie Marsan	...	Inspector Lestrade
William Houston	...	Constable Clark
Wolf Kahler	...	Doctor Hoffmanstahl
Iain Mitchell	...	Auctioneer
Jack Laskey	...	Carruthers
Patricia Slater	...	Shush Club Maitre D'

Storyline

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his longtime trusted associate, Doctor Watson (Jude Law), take on their arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), with the help of Holmes' older brother Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry) and a gypsy named Simza (Noomi Rapace).

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Plot Keywords:

professor | sherlock holmes | factory | explosion | gypsy | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [es]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

16 December 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sherlock Holmes 2

Filming Locations:

Fort Amherst, Chatham, Kent, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$125,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$39,637,079 (USA) (16 December 2011)

Gross:

$186,830,669 (USA) (30 March 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Village Roadshow Pictures, Silver Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The equation on the blackboard in Professor Moriarty's office is the Binomial Theroem.

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Goofs

In the stag night scene, the music of "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo" is heard. The action takes place in 1891. The song was not written until 1892.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. John Watson: [voice-over] The year was 1891. Storm clouds were brewing over Europe. France and Germany were at each other's throats, the result of a series of bombings. Some said it was the Nationalists. Others, the anarchists. But as usual, my friend Sherlock Holmes, had a different theory entirely.

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Crazy Credits

During the ending credits, excerpts from the Doyle story "The Final Problem" are shown. ("The Final Problem" was the basis for the movie.)

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.22 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Die Forelle"
Written by Franz Schubert
Tortured by Mel Wesson
Performed by Ian Bostridge and Julius Drake
Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd.

User Reviews

A more action-packed Holmes

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadow" picks up where the prequel left off; Holmes is tracking down Professor Moriarty, a man he believes is responsible for a series of bombings and mysterious deaths around world. With the help of his pal Watson (off to be married soon), and a gang of gypsies, which includes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's Noomi Rapace, set out on a game of cat-and-mouse to find the schemes of the sinister Professor.

Though there is an element of mystery in this film, it is not as in-depth as the first film. Rather the focus is on the action sequences and clever humor. This is not necessarily a bad thing though; in fact it helps move the plot along. The first film suffered because the story was slow. In this Holmes though, there is not one second that drags. The story itself is not special, but its pace is what counts. Walking out of the theater, I felt refreshed and glad that I saw this movie.

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are once again a true treat to watch as Holmes and Watson. Their chemistry and interactions are perfect; it's easy to tell that both had fun with the script and with each other. Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty gives a solid performance, as a cold, manipulative, power hungry villain. Unlike Mark Strong in the first film, he is a believable antagonist. Noomi Rapace is a nice flavor as Madam Sim.

The set and costume designs are exquisite, bringing to life of what Europe was like in the late 1800s. I smell Oscar for these departments. The sound and editing is crisply done, and the music is top-notched—Hans, you're truly the best. The visual effects are mostly good, but some scenes were a bit over the top and borderline ridiculous. One of many examples include a woman being thrown from a fast moving train into a river, without sustaining injury or even dying. This is impossible. Then again, it's Hollywood. The filmmakers aren't doing their job if a sense of the ridiculous is not thrown into an action flick from time to time.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadow" delivers as a great, action-packed, and a rather humorous, popcorn loving flick. Note: the dog dies again.