In recent years, I have never been much of a fan of the film industry's blind dedication to adapt, remake or reboot books, comics, television series or other films. A significant portion of these types of movies that were produced in the last several years have been either really bad or can't quite compare to the original work.
I do have to admit, though, that sometimes, they get it right.
And in this case... Boy, did Guy Richie get it really, really right.
Sherlock Holmes is one of the few fictional characters that have experienced the right treatment in adaptations in the last few years. The first is in the form of Sherlock from BBC, which brilliantly brings the famous detective into our modern world.
The other is from the head of director Guy Ritchie, who, while keeping true to the time period of the original Arthur Conan Doyle writings, showed us why Holmes is definitely not as boring as other, older and less impressive adaptations made him out to be.
This Sherlock Holmes is not one who would be amicably sitting and smoking his pipe, while calmly telling Dr. John Watson the facts that proved he solved a case. This is the Sherlock Holmes who is always in the middle of the action. This is the Sherlock Holmes, who, in his genius, is crazy, manic, obsessive and has strong leanings towards self-destruction, sweeping all those around him along for the ride.
The first of Guy Richie's installments, the eponymous Sherlock Holmes, was a fun adventure romp. It was a breath of fresh air in a tired old franchise, which usually showed Holmes and Watson as elderly men and the classic yet tired phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson.". The movie featured Holmes as he was described in Doyle's stories. He was articulate yet arrogant, brilliant yet messy. It featured Holmes and Watson exchanging witty banter, laced with plenty of humor in both speech and action.
The film was meant to make watching Sherlock Holmes fun again. And it was successful in doing so. Never mind that some purists are shouting inaccuracy or blasphemy. Actually, never mind the purists totally. While it's true that the film isn't perfect and was not really a completely faithful adaptation, it still connected with a large percentage of its intended audience. And it sure as hell connected with me.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows relies on the same elements that made its predecessor successful, but was made to be bigger and better. They amped up the dialogue, the potential danger the new villain posed, the action and the character development.
The installment pits Sherlock against his archenemy Professor James Moriarty, who in this version incites conflict between nations by using his keen understanding of chaos, with the intention of supplying the warring factions with advanced weaponry. While his adversary is easy to track down, Sherlock must find a way to defeat Moriarty, who matches him in both intellect and fighting abilities. Moriarty in turn welcomes the challenge, warning Holmes that he will hurt the people that he values most.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was fun to watch, in large part because of Robert Downey, Jr. and his portrayal of the titular character. When it was first announced that he would take on the role of the British detective and that the adaptation would have comedic elements, it made sense that they casted him, especially since he was such a hot commodity after Iron Man. While Downey did an excellent job in the first installment and was still funny in the second one, there was a haunted element in his portrayal in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The detective's propensity for obsession and eccentricity was at an all time high, since his friend Watson was getting married and he was consumed by his theories involving Moriarty. Sherlock was a spoiled brat when it came to Watson, being the only comrade and friend who knew him and his way of thinking the best. So, it wasn't surprising that Sherlock would express disagreement at the notion of his friend getting married, as well as sadness when Watson actually got married.
Yet, it was Sherlock's war with Moriarty that brought out the best in Downey's portrayal. While the obsession to figure out Moriarty's plans was there from the beginning, it was merely a puzzle, albeit one that destroyed civilians' lives, that consumed Sherlock. The game changed for Sherlock when Professor Moriarty involved the people he had a connection with, mainly Irene Adler, John and John's wife, Mary Morstan-Watson. This was evident in his fist conversation with Moriarty, when the seemingly initial academic discussion turned to threats from either side. And then there was one dialogue that particularly struck me. When Simza Heron asked Holmes how he can remember everything, he answered that it was his curse. I felt his response was reflective of how different he was from everyone and how differently he saw everything. There was no point to practicing social graces nor tact, when every little detail was imprinted on his mind and he became consumed with the smallest of clues. And during an earlier scene on a ship, Watson found Irene's handkerchief. Sherlock's attempt at downplaying its significance, was heartbreaking when his expression betrayed him.
Much like the first film, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows featured an outstanding supporting cast. I have to give credit to Jim Harris and his portrayal of Professor Moriarty. I found him to be a more impressive villain compared to the menacing Lord Blackwood, portrayed by Mark Strong from the first film. There was something more frightening about the matter of fact manner that he presented how he would enact his plans and bring destruction to Sherlock. While Professor Moriarty was not above using violence when needed, you know that it was his mind that would cause the most trouble.
Jude Law was still great as Watson. There's more defiance in Watson, which I think stemmed from the fact that he was, even for just a limited degree, free of Sherlock. Although, I'm not sure how he could have danced so exuberantly with his limp during their stay at the gypsy camp. Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes was particularly funny. I found it interesting that Mycroft also exhibited a degree of eccentricity, albeit one with more social skills and political aptitude than his brother Sherlock. One wonders what kind of upbringing they had to develop such unique abilities and weirdness.
As for the female members of the cast... I felt that I appreciated Mary Morstan-Watson, played by Kelly Reilly, more in the sequel. She made a more lasting impression, due to increased dialogue that showcased her personality and a memorable jump from a moving train into a freezing cold river courtesy of Sherlock. Noomi Rapace's Simza Heron was interesting and obviously relevant to the story, but for some weird reason, I felt she was upstaged by the scant few minutes that Rachel McAdams was on screen. Irene Adler's conversation with Moriarty in the restaurant was one of my favorite scenes in the film and especially impressive since most of their exchange was out of each other's sights.
There was a new weapon in Sherlock's arsenal in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Disguises were a recurring theme throughout the film, with Downey donning costumes to look like a Chinese man and a very ripped woman. My particular favorites (which proved to be difficult to find photos of) were his disguises as inanimate objects. I was flabbergasted when he left his disguise as part of the bookshelf. While I expected that he would once again blend in at a later point in the movie, I still didn't know where he would pop out from. Needless to say, the disguises were a fun addition to the film.
Of course, I also have to say something about the action sequences. This is a Guy Richie film, after all. Richie brought back the frame by frame dissection of Sherlock's fights. I felt it was apt that Professor Moriarty could perform the same minute analysis when he and Sherlock finally went the fisticuffs route. I mean, that had to be the reason why they mentioned that he was an Oxford boxing champion earlier in the film. The biggest action sequence in the movie would have to be the chase scene in the woods, when Sherlock, Watson, Simca and the other gypsies had to outrun men and ammunition from weapons way ahead of their time. The frame pauses during their flight reminded me of Richie's earlier works on Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. It was a comparison that I very much appreciated.
Yes, I agree that this film would never be considered a faithful adaptation.
Yet, people will remember that Robert Downey, Jr. did a pretty great job portraying Sherlock Holmes.
Or that he would never be a beautiful woman, even if he put on the prettiest blue eyeshadow.
Especially with those arms.
At the end of the day, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was enjoyable to watch.
And really... that's what matters.
So, yeah... never mind the purists.
Happy viewing!!Labels: Action, Adaptation, Film, Must-Watch, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
