Movie with Abe: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Released December 16, 2011

Sequels can be tricky, since it’s hard to revisit an already popular concept and do it right the second time. In this case, however, the first film was well-designed in terms of its characters and setup, but was lacking in terms of the specific case selected. That means that the sequel is in fact much better than the original, preserving what worked well – acting and aesthetics – about the first movie and delving into a much more enticing and thrilling plot. “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” is packed full of action and humor, marvelously enthralling for the whole of its 129-minute runtime.

Robert Downey Jr. is on fire again as Holmes, imbuing him with a sense of ridiculousness and flair only partially made up for by his brilliant detective skills. In the cleverly-titled “A Game of Shadows,” Holmes takes particular delight in blending into his surroundings, donning camouflaged clothing for the purposes of his own amusement several times, not to mention a handful of disguises to outwit his enemies. The wedding of his dear friend Watson (Jude Law) doesn’t ultimately disrupt their bickering-filled partnership, and they do need to keep their wits about them as they take on the highly evil Professor Moriarty. As played by Jared Harris of “Mad Men,” Moriarty is a fascinating, cunning, careful villain who never loses his temper or his composure. Noomi Rapace from “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” also finds herself a decent English-speaking role as a gypsy whose life is in danger, and Stephen Fry earns laughs as Holmes’ diplomat brother. The cast is hilarious and highly capable of working together to create a very fun – and funny – film.

The style established in this film’s predecessor, in which Holmes stops motion and details the specifics of the methods he’ll use to take down his enemy of the moment, which are then shown in slow-motion before the film speeds back up to actually utilize them, are on full display here and as effective as ever. The costumes and set design are terrific, and this film packs considerably more action than might be expected, and it never lets up for a moment, always ready to produce another gunman or prepare another disaster to be averted by Holmes and company. The film even starts in the middle of the action with Holmes tailing Rachel McAdams’ Irene in the midst of some dangerous business. With a third film already on the way, this could well become a series, and if this installment is any indication, the next film should be superb.

B+

Movie with Abe: Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Released December 25, 2009

Robert Downey, Jr. has charisma. There’s no debating that. He’s marvelously able to command movies with his sheer ability to talk and to dismiss the actions and words of those around him as insignificant and uninteresting. That personality serves him well here as he takes on the role of legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. His portrayal is very much half Downey, half Holmes, but in this case it works beautifully. His accent, costumes, and demeanor help complete the transformation from contemporary American actor to period British detective, and like with all of his other recent films, Downey owns the film and makes it his own.

“Sherlock Holmes” isn’t all about Holmes. He’s ably supported by the dutiful Dr. Watson, played by a mustached Jude Law, who displays just the temperament to deal with the often unsavory and obnoxious Holmes. He finds his gimmicks and games grating, but continues to be loyal to the man because he is his friend. It’s a magnificent friendship to behold, and the duo of Downey and Law, both clearly have a great time, is a delightful gift. They anchor the movie’s silliest scenes, and the bewildered yet slightly smug expressions on their faces during the greatest of their shenanigans make them infinitely more entertaining. Eddie Marsan (“Happy-Go-Lucky”) completes the dynamic perfectly as the bumbling Inspector Lestrade.

This adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famed hero does a good job casting its primary characters, but a tragically poor job picking the story. Villain Lord Blackwood seeks to reunite England and create a monarchy with him and his secret society at the top. It’s a plot that involves supernatural elements and world domination, and posits Holmes as a celebrity as its very beginning. This movie isn’t necessarily an origin story (like “Batman Begins”), but it might have been nice to have been provided with a smoother transition into the way that Holmes works and the majesty with which he solves cases.

Regardless of intention, the breadth and scope of this film isn’t very wide, spanning only one case, even if it is one that involves the fate of a whole nation. The clear intention of this film and its storyline is to create a lasting franchise. The good news on that front is that it should be successful because the main characters work, and it’s more a matter of the case here that doesn’t. Director Guy Ritchie (“RocknRolla”) seems a good choice to helm the franchise, using slow-motion and voiceover narration from Holmes to drive forward the story and flesh out Holmes’ most devious and impressive of tactics. The film does become obsessed with showcasing Holmes’ devilishly clever methods of trickery and deduction, rewinding and showing how Holmes was able to devise his conclusions. The device is hit or miss – sometimes it’s wholly extraneous and tiresome, and at others it’s necessary and helpful. Either way, it’s what Holmes is all about, and the characterization of Holmes and the entertainment he provides is the strongest element of this film.

B

Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe

Welcome to the final edition of Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe. Every Wednesday, I’ve been taking a look at the awards chances for all of the films released the previous week, and this week I’m including the two films opening today. Chime in with your thoughts on the Oscar chances for these films in the comments section

The White Ribbon
This German film from director Michael Haneke is a very strong contender in the Best Foreign Film category. It has already received a Golden Globe nomination, and is probably the frontrunner in this category for an Oscar nod since some worry about the chances of “A Prophet” because it’s very violent, and the similar “Gomorra” got snubbed last year. This film probably won’t contend in other categories, like Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director, because it’s foreign and there are plenty of others films with better shots, but consider this the likely winner for Best Foreign Film, and a sure bet to be nominated.

Sherlock Holmes
Guy Ritchie isn’t going to be picking up an Oscar nomination anytime soon, and none of his stars are this year either. Robert Downey Jr. was a nominee last year, Jude Law was last nominated in 2003, and Rachel McAdams will be some day, but none of them have a chance this time around. The movie may score in the Best Art Direction and Best Original Score categories, and perhaps in the Best Costumes or Best Cinematography races as well, but it’s doubtful. It will probably have to settle for its Golden Globe nod for Downey Jr. and its impressive box office take.

It’s Complicated
This comedy earned three Golden Globe nominations, for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. Meryl Streep is nominated against herself in “Julie & Julia” at the Golden Globes, something which isn’t possible at the Oscars, and she’ll definitely make it in for her portrayal of Julia Child over this role. The film could snag a Best Picture nomination if voters want to honor more mainstream entertainment, and Meyers could be well on her way to a second career Oscar nomination (the first was back in 1980 for penning “Private Benjamin”) if her screenplay is chosen as one of the five Best Original Screenplay nominees, both of which could but probably won’t happen. Alec Baldwin has been tossed around as a contender for Best Supporting Actor, but he has much more serious performances to contend against, and I don’t think his purely funny role can knock any of them out.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
This movie is an odd case, one which has been bolstered by its significance as Heath Ledger’s final film and therefore received far more attention than it otherwise might have. Ledger didn’t film enough of his part to merit consideration, and wouldn’t really be in the running anyway since it’s nowhere near the caliber of his Oscar-winning performance in “The Dark Knight.” Christopher Plummer deservedly has buzz for his other film, “The Last Station.” The best shot this film has is in the Best Makeup category, since that’s one area in which the film excels, and that will probably be its only mention, though it could sneak into the Best Art Direction or Best Costumes category, if voters are feeling adventurous.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
This film won’t really come into play at the Oscars, considering the high number of films in competition for the Best Animated Feature category and the fact that the first film didn’t get nominated.

Thanks for reading Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe! Comb through previous editions here. If you’re looking to stay up-to-date on the Oscars, take a look at the Monday Oscar Odds, Friday For Your Consideration, and prepare for Oscar predictions in each category coming in mid-January. And don’t miss the AFT Awards, my choices for the best in cinema this year, beginning this Friday, January 1st.

Tuesday's Top Trailer: Sherlock Holmes

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Sherlock Holmes - Opening December 25, 2009



I saw this one in its entirety for the first time before "The Informant" this past Friday. While the character teaser posters were fun, they weren't indicative of what this film would actually be like. The trailer doesn't waste any time amping up the action, and after a very legendary-style introduction to the character of Holmes, everything is very fast-paced and cool. It looks like Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are going to make a fantastic team, and this should finally be a terrific role for the lovely Rachel McAdams. The best part, which I didn't know before seeing the trailer, is that Mark Strong, so excellent last year in both "Body of Lies" and "RocknRolla," is playing the villain. That's good to be great. In true action-adventure trailer fashion, the last quick cut is to a comic moment. This looks like it's going to be very much a Guy Ritchie film with slow-motion shots and a very rugged feel to it, which I think is fantastic. The use of Unstoppable by E.S. Posthumus tops it all off and just gets me very excited. Too bad we have to wait for so long!