It's distinctly messier than the first one, but "Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows" still remains an almost unrelentingly fun thrill ride, with two charismatic lead characters.

It kept me more entertained than the first one. There is certainly a lot more action. Not only is it bigger, but it is also even better than the first.

A very enjoyable movie just like the first, so if you liked that one you will like this one as well. Great action, the acting is once again fantastic, and it was funny. I recommend this, and hope there will be sequels to it.

I probably laughed out loud a good 30 times during the film, which is many more times than I expected to, but it just felt bloated around the middle. I still love the action sequences, and Downey Jr. is made for this role, but it could be tightened up in the 3rd iteration.

This sequel has very little of what made the original so much fun. Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. Watson (Jude Law) talk way too much and most of it's not witty. Worse yet, the plot is confusing and convoluted. The action sequences are edited so fast and blurry that's it's impossible to tell what's going on. Director Ritchie has thrown around plenty of his stylistic flourishes, but they just add flash and noise. There's nothing about this film to recommend it.… Expand

The second installment in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes franchise is more action-packed than the first, and is just as funny. It's also on a far grander scale, as the great detective launches into a game of wits with his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris in a piece of perfect casting). Whilst the stakes have been increased, and there are a good deal more explosions this time round, A Game of Shadows has lost a lot of the charm the first film had. Robert Downey, Jr. has well and truly grown into his role - in the first film it felt like he was finding his feet, discovering who the character of Holmes really was, but this time round he is completely certain of himself, and his incarnation of the iconic literary character is mesmerising. As previously mentioned, Jared Harris makes the perfect Moriarty, both believable as an academic and as a criminal mastermind, and always menacing, and the scenes of "intellectual fistycuffs" between Holmes and Moriarty are without doubt the highlight of the film. Unfortunately Jude Law's Dr. Watson is now a little dull. In the first film he was essential to Holmes' investigations, serving as a combination of best friend, carer and bodyguard, but this time round he seems to have been brought along for the ride as an afterthought. He serves little purpose other than running around and firing the odd shot while Holmes works everything out. He's now just a big moving target with a moustache for evil henchmen to shoot at. And Jude Law forgets his character's limp on an alarmingly frequent basis. The relationship between Holmes and Watson has also devolved from an amusing "bromance" into full-blown homo-eroticism. Other characters from the first film aren't given the screen-time they deserve - Rachel McAdams' Irene Adler gets a couple of short scenes, and if you blink you'll miss Eddie Marsan's Inspector Lestrade. The performances of series newcomers Noomi Rapace and Stephen Fry are both competent but uninspiring. The main problem with the story of A Game of Shadows is not that it's uninventive and predictable (which it is), but that the pace is inconsistent - alternating between complex action scenes and quieter moments where Holmes tries to figure out exactly what is going on results in the story having a rather jarring stop-start feel. In addition, because of the excessive use of innuendo, sometimes the film resembles a Carry On! a little too closely. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is still entertaining for the most part, and has great performances from Robert Downey, Jr. and Jared Harris, but a combination of reduced roles for some central characters, uneven pacing and some laughable double entendre makes the film far less than it might be. Here's hoping these problems will be addressed in the sequel that will undoubtedly appear at some point in the near future.… Expand

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a solid sequel that walks the fine line between improving upon the ideas of it's predecessor or simply retreading them. Although not perfect, the movie does more than enough to entertain throughout it's duration. Is it superior to the original? To be honest, I think it's too close to call... But is it worth watching? Well, that's elementary my dear reader.

I'm giving it a pass - barely - because it was never boring. I'm still not convinced Guy Ritchie is the right director for Sherlock Holmes. I admire his visual style, but there was too much distracting slow motion and super fast word play between all the characters. I still have the same problem as I had in the first film about turning Holmes into a kung fu fighting super hero, but Hollywood has decided the average movie-goer in America has the attention span of a mosquito so the more action the better. They also threw a woman in the film for no reason, she is absolutely wasted. Still, Robert Downing Jr. and Jude Law do have a chemistry, there are some laughs, and a lot of action. Just don't expect much if you are a fan of the Arthur Conan Doyle books.… Expand

Guy Ritchie delivers his lurid best. I don't think that Moriarty is the worth enemy for Holmes. I got dizzy, lousy acts. Don't enjoy the talk, "the game," enjoy the slow-motion action scene, the forest scene is my favorite.

My very first cinema encounter in 2012 is the sequel of a reverberating bromance action flick of Sherlock Holmes and his lover Dr. Watson, two years after the triumph of the unorthodox trio - Guy Ritchie, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law - of rebooting the household name into a bankable cash inflows, this time, at the same Christmas/New Year season, the threesome orgy revels in a more unrestrained burlesque, while all the detective-related mind-trickery is watered down in spite of Prof. Moriaty's existence (an underrated Jared Harris).

The film has some self-consciously insipid moments during its 129 minutes running time, for the hefty action sequences, either those slow-motion or pre-mind fighting is overly abused, which functions eloquently in the first episode, nevertheless, the same question here, do we really need Holmes to be an action star like Bruce Lee? (anyway, it could not be worse than WITHOUT A CLUE 1988, a slapstick farce of a swapped identity.) In the face of that the old trick fails to avail for the second time, the ace is that a gay-implied two-player eclipses all the rest of the film (I cannot bring to my mind whatâ… Expand

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is .......(Ow WTH) I Love It ! I Love It ! I Love It ! I Love It ! . Its SUPERB . The whole film is so awesome and exactly what i wanted,more wider then the first one .It had some same things like the first one,most of the time it goes bad for sequels but it was does so well. None Stop action and (You Know!) Just brilliant .I am a big big fan of the first film , so i wan a bit of worried but Ritchie did it again . He once again proved that he is really good . Nothing to say about Robert Downey Jr. , He is AWESOME . Jude Law was great . He did really amazing work , he actually succeed to stole screen beside Downey . Two beautiful lady Noomi Rapace & Kelly Reilly did amazing work as well as Rachel McAdams .Stephen Fry was hilarious . Jared Harris did great jod playing Pro.J.M. but Paul Anderson was perfect (The).Slow motion was great , and it was a good story . Really looking forward to the second sequel (hope it will be in 2013).… Expand

First off, i do not agree with the critics whatsoever. This movie was veryy good. Robert Downey Jr. is back and better than ever as the always funny and incredbily intelligent Sherlock Holmes and a very well made sequel to the first sherlock holmes. The story kept me entertained from start to finish, the action was mindblowing, and the acting by the 2 lead stars Downey Jr. and Mr. Law was on par, same with the supporting cast. Loved this film from the very start to the very end. Must see film, 9/10… Expand

Even though there are now two films in Guy Ritchieâ

This film was not as good as the first one, lacked mystery and suspense, and also involved unnecessary talking. However, I really did like Downey, Jr.'s performance but this film was not able to impress me that much, or it is also possible that I was expecting it to be more mysterious. Whatever was the case, this film was good, not too great, but Sherlock Holmes is Sherlock Holmes, you can't miss it especially when Downey, Jr. is playing the role and he is playing it very well. I am giving it a 7 for a good plot because it was too hard to understand (and I liked it) and great performances by Downey, Jr., Jude Law and Jared Harris.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My expectations werent necessarily low, but I was very pleasantly surprised by how brilliantly written, meticulously directed and fantastically edited this better-than-the-original sequel was. Critic response hasnt been very positive, so I expected some level of disappointment, but I left disappointed in the lack of praise this movie has received. The cast is downright perfect, as it was the last time, but what improved this version over the extremely wonderful predecessor was the extensive insight into Sherlock's detective mind, something I considered lacking in the original. The relationship between Holmes and Watson was more deeply built, as was Holmes' relationship with his adversary. Moriarty was a perfect counterpart and a joy to finally see on screen. Other than the length, I have very, very little criticism of this intellectually stimulating, action-packed feast for the senses. The getaway scene from the armory was enough to praise Ritchie, and this is coming from a not-so-interested-in-action-movies kind of guy. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a masterpiece in a genere not often represented or respected.… Expand

Rien de bien neuf à l'horizon pour cette suite, à part un scénario plus conventionnel et un ensemble bien plus spectaculaire. Sinon, ce Sherlock Holmes 2 est comme son prédécesseur, c'est-à-dire un blockbuster qui a son public tout comme les gens qui sont réticents au résultat fourni. Faisant parti de ces derniers, j'ai eu droit à un film d'action rondement mené et superbement interprété, mais qui devrait s'intituler autrement, n'accrochant pas du tout à cette version moderne du personnage et à ce côté action et mise en scène (ralentis, ambiance...) qui nous semblent incompatibles au Sherlock des vieux films que l'on préfère. Quant aux adorateurs du premier film de Guy Ritchie, il trouveront sans peine ce qu'ils sont venus voir dans cette suite et ne seront pas déçus.… Expand

Painful to sit through. The plot line seemed to jump from place to place like it was created by a fourth-grader.

Unfortunately this movie was nowhere near as good as the first one. The acting and the witty humor was still there as well as the way certain layers of the plot unfold. However, there were certain aspects of the story that felt like lazy writing. More than anything though, the action sequences, while outstanding in the first film, were overdone and cheesy in many scenes. This movie is another perfect example of why 3D is potentially hurting film making. There were many instances where you could tell than the director threw in gimmicky "pop-outs" that felt forced. The biggest flaw of all, in my opinion, was the ending. Unrealistic just doesn't begin to describe how ridiculous the ending was. These things took away from the experience and left you waiting for it to end rather than enjoying the experience.… Expand

Lots of action, a fair smattering of comedy and a thrilling plot go together to make up this film. Most of it works pretty well, however there is a bit of a weak link and that is the part of the story involving the character played by the, woefully underused, Noomi Rapace. I thought it was a little weak and didn

I am being 100% honest when I say this: I never saw the first film. Therefore I had no idea what to expect from this when I walked into the theatre. Afterwards I felt rather impressed with this interesting and intriguing film that delivers on all fronts rather well. Mystery wise, I thought the film did well with the case that Holmes and Watson were trying to solve. The acting was good and Robert Downey Jr. was frequently hilarious. But the best part was the well-paced action that was carefully put into this movie to make it really shine. The film's ending wraps up everything perfectly(maybe.) Judging from what I've seen from this well-made mystery, my best guess is that you don't need to see the first one to appreciate this already great sequel. See this! I recommend it!… Expand

An awesome movie - Sherlock Holmes has the ability to keep you at the edge of its seat with its extreme unpredictability. Not so much that you lose control of the plot and you just sit there looking puzzled and confused, but to keep you intrigued of what might happen next. It's one of those movies that actually makes you think - you yourself may have turned into a Sherlock Holmes unravelling the mystery of what both Sherlock and Dr. Watson are solving. So much darker and creepier tale - but is still enjoyable for the imminent teens because it does not make them feel stupid, but neither is it too much for them. This movie also goes deeper into Sherlock's and Watson's relationship, I think they make such a good team, so funny, so brilliant, like there's an unbreakable bond between them. It still manages to pull off an excellent line of gags - I laughed and laughed so much I wished I could laugh at it all over again when it finished because it was so hilarious. One unmissable moment involves a man and some drag, and don't forget to look out for the surprise ending, which fascinated and entertained for what might come next. It achieves both sides - its technical side is perfection, and the literary and artistic skills don't come amiss, unlike some movies nowadays. And this is what I call a real movie, and a really good sequel to what came before. A thrill ride of a movie taking you from one place to another - miss this and you miss the biggest and best rollercoaster of your life. The critics certainly don't know what they're missing - don't even believe one word of what they're saying - see this and be overjoyed that you did listen to common sense.… Expand

Like the first Sherlock movie, Sherlock 2 looks great with good editing and a visual style but does not have a compelling plot or characters you care that much for. There are some charming moments but for the most part Sherlock 2 was underwhelming. I recommend Sherlock 2 if you liked the first movie but don't expect too much as its only ok and is not too memorable.

The potential for this series is great but no one seems wiling to take advantage of it. Here we have two great actors in Robert Downey, JR and Jude Law and the result is a TV miniseries. This film is no improvement on the first which may be my fault for not knowing the Holmes/Moriarty story better. Ritchie would have done himself some good if he had laid the foundation for that rivalry. In addition, Law is not that good at being the straight man to Holmes. Law could have been left out of the film and I would not have noticed. Lastly, is Ritchie turning Moriarty into the a Bond super villain? Let's hope not as that is what destroyed that series.… Expand

Like most sequels, the plot was over the top. There are way too many end-of-the-world movies coming out. I don't understand why filmmakers feel that they have to have an outrageous story line in order to keep people's interest in a franchise. James Moriarty, the only villain who has ever managed to off Holmes's game, was cast brilliantly. But I think they could have reserved him for a third movie. Holmes and Watson looked like super spies who go undercover and foil a conspiracy to prevent the destruction of multiple countries. This is not what Sherlock Holmes was about. I may be a purist but the movie was still entertaining enough, if you're willing to imagine that the Holmes that you're watching is a 19th century Ethan Hunt. If they had gone with the 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' story which was simple at heart yet mind boggling and involved a self contained mystery, I would have respected Guy Ritchie more.… Expand

Somewhat better than the first one. The story introduces Professor Moriarty with which Holmes and Watson play a game of wits. There are plenty of action scenes with the trademark super-slomo explosions and fistfights Guy Ritchie likes so much. It all looks great and the VFX are pretty good too. At 130 mins it's maybe a bit longer than it should have been but otherwise nice popcorn entertainment.

It's witty and clever, but far from cohesive. Apparently Sherlock is not only a great detective, but he can see the future as well? The scenes where he knows what is going to take place are absurd. The ending is also beyond ridiculous. I hate it when directors act as though we, as the audience, are morons. It was fun to watch, but silly. Downey Jr. is a genius of an actor, and the saving grace of this movie. He manages to salvage something positive from this messy film.… Expand

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS continues the tradition of the first film superbly, with the same brilliant chemistry between Watson and Holmes that made the original so enjoyable.

Well thought out movie I must say. Takes you into an adventure in a different time, but it`s not really my type of movie. It was worth watching, but I can`t say I enjoyed all of it. At times I just did not care what was going on.

It's not a perfect movie. It's not a bad movie. It's not even amazing, but it is GOOD. Enjoy it. Much better than the first one! Slow motion was great. It is an artistic film, and as such, some may not undertand the usage of slow motion and precise shots- doesn't matter. A good movie to cuddle up with someone on a rainy day.

Sherock holmes a game of shadows allows viewers to enjoy themselves through out the entire screen time. its funny and robert downy jr once again sells the role.. Robert Downy Jr has developed alot and become an amazing actor.. one of the best in my opinion. Loads of the cast choice are great to get along with to.. but this delivery wouldn't work if it wasn't for Roberts stunning performance. .if you are a fan of the last Sherlock holmes then this one will be right up in the top of your books.. of course its not as much of a detective story as the last but it is awesome with everything looking amazing and a fabulous twist ending... I recommend it to anyone who loved the first movie!… Expand

Not awful, just not worth watching. Admittedly, I wasn't a fan of the first, but I wanted to see where they went with a sequel. Unfortunately, they retain the same problems that made the first movie uninteresting. The plot is so convoluted that most audience members will stop trying to figure out what's going on to try and just try to focus on the film's over-saturated action sequences.

The second chapter is better than the first for quality fiction and for entertainment. The actors are really good, and Moriarty is a real villain. Excellent slow-motion effects, set design, costumes ... amazing film! Recommended.

Complex story line. Decent acting. An amazing adventure, full of thrills at every corner. What more could you want?

I enjoyed it as a thrill ride and fun action flick. My wife really liked it and would give it a 9 out of 10. I was too distracted by one of my biggest pet peeves to rank it above a 5. As a "gun guy" I can't abide seriously flawed firearms details. If as a filmmaker you choose to make a big deal about the firearms the characters are using perhaps you should pick one that is contemporary to the period not a Luger P08 that won't be invented for nearly two decades, not to mention the sub-machine gun that's at least a quarter century out of time. Give Taran Butler a call or better yet call me and I'll consult for free!… Expand

A superb film, even better than the first. I found it hilariously funny, very gripping and despite what some might say about Holmes being too much of an action man - it is faithful to the original character. He was never supposed to be a sleuth, sitting at home solving mysteries. He only lounged at home in between cases - never by choice. Holmes always was a man of action. In Conan-doyles books he took part in high speed chases, firefights and all sorts. Ok so he never pumelled the hell out of anyone with his bare hands - but I always felt that he should - seeing as he was an accomplished boxer. Anyway - the user reviews are much more in line with how the film actually plays. Most of the critics who say the film isn't faithful to the original text have never even read holmes.… Expand

Sherlock Holmes was a marvelous movie. It had action, humor, style and wit amongst things but it also had substance in it's story. And that's were SH2 comes up short for me. The story isn't as absorbing as the original however it terms of action and entertainment in trumps it by some manner. A Game of Shadows picks up from it's predecessor with Sherlock hot on the heels of Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris). The beginning is frantic and sets up the tone for the film and also includes a brief cameo from Rachel McAdams,playing Irene Adler. Holmes suspects Moriarty to be behind some seemingly unrelated business acquisitions, murders and terrorist attacks and in doing so takes on Moriarty in a "Game of Shadows." The plot is difficult follow at times and you will often be left wondering what is going on although the final third of the film comes together very well leading to an awesome ending that I didn't see coming. What SH2 has in abundance is sheer entertainment and amazing action. The explosive set-pieces are outstanding and really capture your attention drawing you into the film, it's almost as if the story is secondary infact that's largely the point, Guy Ritchie succeeds in the action department but the story is lacking. Robert Downey Jr. is once more in fantastic form as Holmes bringing that charm and personality to the role, Jude Law also impresses as Watson delivering another fine performance. Noomi Rapace, best known for The Girl With... trilogy, comes on board and there's even an appearance from a certain Stephen Fry! A Game of Shadows excels in it's set-pieces extravaganza providing some of the best explosive sequences your likely to see however the story loses its focus and as a result is hard to follow until the closing stages which ultimately pays off with a fabulous finale Sherlock Holmes style.… Expand

Had to write a comment seeing a ridiculous zero score by the SF Chronicle. I have seen so many bad movies lately (including some Oscar noms.) but this ain't one of them. What do critics expect Bergman? It started off a little shaky but soon had soon had me hooked. Robert Downey and Jude Law are great as usual, and loved the convoluted plot. And what a pleasure to see Noomi Rapace waltz through a marvelous role as a gypsy. All in all super fun all the way to the end. Hats off to Guy Ritchie for another winner.… Expand

This is one of the best downey-movies i've ever seen. Its a good cast and a very good story. I really like this movie because i'm fan of the first one but I found these one the best.

Sadly the sequel failed to live up to the first installment of the franchise though it is not without merit. In this new film on the mystery solving detective, Shelock Holmes must uncover a plot most foul devised by the evil Professor Moriarty and foil it before Europe is thrown into the grips of a World War. The strongest part of the film is its cast lead by Robert Downey Jr as Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson who give respectable performances and work very well together. Jared Harris proved to be almost perfect for the role as the evil professor and Stephen Fry provides some excellent comic relief. The film also has top notch production design and effects and another good score by the awe inspiring Hans Zimmer. However the movie tries to be too complicated and intricate and at times the plot gets muddled. Worse still are some of the jarring action scenes, which constantly alternate between slow and fast motion leaving the viewer exhausted. Then there are the confusing scenes when Holmes seems to visualize every fight he gets into before the actual fight takes place which seems very redundant to me. Furthermore the film makes Holmes seem unrealistically intelligent. For example, in one scene Holmes notices a wine and a cement spill on the floor of a cellar and this somehow leads him to the correct conclusion that there is a secret exit in the cellar if one pushes a certain lever on a coat hanger. Still it's worth seeing if you are a fan of the first film even if it falls a little short.… Expand

Eh, it's kind of a mixed bag for me. The chemistry between Holmes and Watson isn't nearly as interesting as it was the first time around. The story felt more jumbled around and this caused me to lose track of who the villain was and what his intentions were. Downey Jr. boasts another solid performance and the action sequences are solid enough, but everything else is meh.

The complex plot, the characters more developed than ever, and perfect performances from Downey Jr and Jude Law, this sequel far surpasses the predecessor to present a political plot that is the envy of many other films of the genre, and those beautifull scenes action in slow motion to make this Melor adaption of a book by Conan Doyle.

I'm no fan of the first Sherlock Holmes flick, and now the second installment only reduced my liking of the film series. This is definitely a Guy Ritchie film, it has boisterous action, choppy editing and what not, which does nothing to advance its already mediocre plot. The "humor" is quite corny and lacks comedic timing, and the script itself was a miss. Polished production designs and efforts from the cast are not enough to save this one, as it was one big mess.… Expand

Rarely do we see a sequel outstrip the original, and "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" is no exception. There appears to be a desire to reproduce some of the ambience of a Harry Potter film, which I noticed in the first Holmes project as well. In the original film, there was a pronounced and very dark occult theme; in the sequel the occult theme is lessened but vaguely represented by a gypsy character played by Noomi Rapace (from "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," original Swedish production). She reads Tarot cards and hangs out with a gypsy band of wild, unbathed, petty thieves. She adds a colorful touch to the plot, although we see only a fraction of the intensity she generated in the Dragon Tattoo film. Jude Law's Watson seems to be as prevalent as Robert Downey's Holmes. Moriarty, played by Jared Harris, and Holmes are engaged in a violent physical and mental conflict to outwit each other. Moriarty is the incarnation of evil; Holmes is the hero and the good guy, a mantle he accepts with humor and a modest sense of grace. As a period piece set in 1891, there is much attention to detail--dress styles, ballrooms, weaponry, automobiles, etc. But the action-packed film is greatly dependent on shootouts and physical violence--dialogue and subtle intrigue cannot carry the plot. No matter how many times Holmes gets pummeled, he always bounces back in the next scene with only one or two scratches on his face, even after a giant tower practically falls on his head. His genius is characterized by a strange ability to note every detail with lightning speed, portrayed by fast-paced camera cuts. Action scenes are often frozen in slow motion, like a silent dream, then sound and normal speed are suddenly resumed. These camera tricks may be necessary to distract the viewer from the dullness of the plot. Despite the authenticity, Holmes says something about Watson getting a "nosh," which is a little startling. True, the Yiddish word, "nashn", which means "to snack," is derived from Middle High and Old High German; nevertheless, as a slang word that slipped into the English language, it can only be traced back to the 1950's. Too late for the very Protestant Sherlock Holmes, unless the Jewish community in London gave the Brits a head start on Yiddish expressions. Rachel McAdams reappears in this sequel, only to have her character killed off in the first fifteen minutes of the film. Surprising, since A-list actors never get killed off right away. Did McAdams have a busy schedule, or did she get fired by producer Susan Downey after sharing a rare, onscreen kiss with the producer's husband Robert Downey, Jr.? (It is a bit of a running joke among Downey fans that his wife, also his producer and boss, does not like to see him do love scenes.) The ending is an unembarrassed attempt to prepare us for Sherlock Holmes 3. And jealous and insecure wives aside, in the end the best reason to see this film is to have another opportunity to lose yourself in the large, soul-filled, liquid brown eyes of Robert Downey, Jr.… Expand

Reviewing this in real time;
It begins 'elementary' enough, by minute 22 I've 'deduced' that this ride is going to be 99.9% visual, so I'm now removing my thinking cap and settling in for 2 hours of style over substance. It's very pretty. Every shot would make a decent screensaver. Very little of the dialogue seems to matter. OMG it's see-Say, they keep saying exactly what we're already seeing. You could watch this with the sound off. Minute 51 and I'm still not letting myself think about what I'm seeing, that would ruin it. It's still very pretty to look at, though. I think this is what you would call a "visual feast". BTW, the acting is fine, everyone is squeezing as much tonal modulation as possible from every line. Emote, baby, emote.
Just to underline the most glaring error so far, Sherlock Holmes is and always has been the 'Thinking Man's hero'. He's wasn't Indiana Jones, he's wasn't Bond, he's wasn't Batman. But now he's all three. Okay, now back to the film.
It got really really pretty for a while and now it's just back to regular pretty.We're at the point where the audience is supposed to think, "Uh oh, s#!+ just got real." Bombs, canons, Gatling guns, GERMANS! A ballet of explosions! Death...sadness, loss...resurrection? Aww, BFFF's. That was fun to watch. Okay, let's regroup and begin building the third act.
Surprisingly I now care (mildly) about the principle characters. Still no use for dialogue, you know everything because you can see it. Ha! Ritchie just tried to make a political statement about war profiteers. Cute. Hm, final conflict was also fun to watch. Final punchline aaand that's a wrap.
Okay to summarize, it's all about style, there's no mystery or very much story for you to get absorbed in, you just follow the action to the end. Guy Ritchie is not deep but he does have an eye for visual detail and when he gets to stop worrying about storyline and just lay out cool visuals he nails it. Early in to this real-time review I started thinking of this film as a high priced escort, pretty to look at but no fun to talk to. Well this one was pretty enough so you didn't need to talk to her for 2hours, 3 minutes and 27 seconds. And now that she's gone you can't hate on her. She is what she is.
6 out of 10 because I didn't feel frustrated when it was over. AND it was really pretty.… Expand

Shut up critics. You don't understand good film. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows has a complex storyline, and it's great acting and gentle humor makes it a hit. Plus, I loved the end.

THE END ?

Guy Ritchie has managed to take anything that could be found fun in the first installment and use it to death to the point of monotony. Game of Shadows is really the same movie as the first: an extremely Hollywoodized, action-oriented take on the classic detective. While the first was fairly enjoyable, with a great performance by Downey Jr., this one has scrapped any mystery whatsoever in favor of a Victorian era, Steam Punk actioner. There is a bit of redemption however, with the last twenty-five minutes to half an hour being intense and fairly clever, as well as some decent action sequences. It doesn't exactly outweigh the awful performance by Stephen Fry or the fact that Robert Downey has now worked all originality or quirkiness in his character to death. And of course, the upsetting fact that they set it up for a third movie.… Expand

The rush for this movie comes from the success of the previous one. Nice photography, excellent scenery, same music, as well as the two main characters Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey) and his friend Dr. Watson (Jude Law), his lady friend, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) , died poisoned at the very early scenes. A first success does not imply a second one, that what typically happened. In this second version it is more of a satiric Sherlock Holmes who makes fun at the first place, he overestimates his brightness of mind against adversaries and events. Life is not a one person brain capable of solving all mysteries that easily and fore-sightly. Two hours are spent in this movie following beautiful shootings and scenery in a non convincing acting or scenario. I went out with a main feeling, something is missing.… Expand

the first one was great, and this one was horrible. It had like three cool actions scenes and dry comedy throughout. But the movie stretched way too far. People were falling asleep in the theater and booing the movie. I really didn't like it.

Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law return once again as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in â

If you liked the first one then you will love this one! Downey and Law team up once again to unravel a mystery and combat evil in Victorian Europe. The supporting actors are once again excellent except for Noomi Rapace, who is lifeless and can't act a lick. Her performance was almost as bad as Rachel McAdams' in the first movie. Rachel comes back (but only briefly) as Irene Adler leaving Noomi to stink up the main female role. The saving grace for the girls is Kelly Reilly, who once again shines as Watson's fiance/wife. The action is almost non-stop and the "face to face" confrontations between Holmes and Professor Moriarity (played to perfection by Jared Harris) are superb.
I'd ignore the negative reviews and consider just who didn't like this movie. They are probably the same critics who swoon over the crap that winds up being nominated but never winning during awards season.… Expand

Great movie. Very entertaining new Sherlock Holmes interpretation by Guy Richie, one of my favorite film directors. Why not? The critics, again, are very wrong.

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Although i enjoyed the first one I didnt really think it was that great, and seeing the trailer for this one I was not terribly excited. But Downey Jr. as ever carried the show with solid support from Jude Law, Jared Harris and Stephen Fry. Good humor, good action, a fun if somewhat shallow holiday movie.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" is a thrilling, suspenseful, and daring adventure that knows just when and where the characters should be and what they should be doing. This is much more fun than its predecessor.

Quite disappointed. Liked the first film but this was a let down. The film was like a world tour with not enough time spent in London (a big draw of the novels is Victorian London), too much rushing around, too many explosions, too many set pieces that weren't important to the plot (the whole train sequence), not enough detective work going on other than Sherlock being almost supernatural in being able to figure things out straight away. Not sure what the point of the gypsy woman was other than a bit of eye candy. The villain was disappointing - see the recent BBC TV version of Moriarty for a far more dangerous and chilling villain. Best part was the interplay between Holmes and Watson but there wasn't nearly enough of this. Just lots of travelling between exotic CGI locations and random battles.… Expand

This movie was very thought provoking. I loved it, but I can see how other people would classify this as boring. It was a long movie. Don't go in expecting it to be like the first one, it's not in more ways than a few. Most of the battles in this are mental. Didn't really care for the fire fights, but even with the gun battles, there was always an underlined theme.

God, if I could put this in simplest terms this was an extremley boring movie and I honestly couldn't wait till it ended. The movie does take extreme intellectual ability to understand which is what makes this a boring movie also a silly premises and plot, though action at times also clever scripting and acting which saved the movie from total demise, other than that the movie was to long, too boring, and to hard to understand.… Expand

I gets better than the first one. I really enjoy it. It is more funny, smarter and it has more action, which must say that it was some amazing, you can´t breathe int hose scenes, a very good film.

I just saw this movie last night and was blown away. It was way better than the first one. The storyline was incredible, and the actors were amazing, not to mention the amazing action sequences. Guy Ritchie has made yet another amazing movie. Alot of people don't like the Sherlock homes movies because they are not true to the book. I think that it is a great adaptation, and it was very well done. The only problem I had was that Sherlock Holmes' characterization was not the same as it was in the first film, and I thought they could have found a better actor to play Moriarity. Other than those things the movie was amazing.… Expand

If I listened to critics, I wouldn't go see anything. SH: A game of Shadows has a complex storyline, average acting, gentle humor, and a surprise twist ending. THE END ? Oscar or Not? No.

This was well worth seeing on the big screen! I really can't say a bad word about it: great acting, well developed actors and great surprises throughout the movie! I may even have to see it again.

Fairly decent film. I liked Jude Law and Robert Downey's performances and the screen "bromance" they had. It had its moments of humor, and I also liked the action and the slow motion added to the action scenes. However, I felt they had no reason to include Noomi Rapce, because she barely had importance to the movie.

What's up with the hate from metacritic? A 48 from reviewers...yet they love Prometheus...that shows you that people love pretty effects over a really good...entertaining & cohesive story! While Prometheus leaves the audience wondering why the character's constantly do unscientific yet incredibly stupid things James martyarty seems to not only challenge homles wit but the viewers as well because he's always ahead by two steps! He extremely smart..devious & fun to watch! Holmes is just as great as he was in the first movie as is Watson(r.i.p blackwood you were awesome) I like how they focus a little more on Holmes preemptive strikes(sorry haters but if you watched the 1st one you know that he doesn't believe in magic) as he out thinks his attackers which is brilliant! The story is much improved over the first Holmes movies so I wont give it away but I have to say that I hated they killed off Irene saddler(Rachel Adams) character....so early then replaced her with a gypsy(noomi rapace) who really just stands out like a black sheep! Her character doesn't bond well with Holmes or Watson & I assume shes just there for the presents of a female character! That aside...the action is great & feels like your watching pirates of the Caribbean sometimes(the assassin) but not the last pirates movie though! And now for the ending..I guess people hate good endings? Although they didn't PHYSICALLY fight...the ending was a representation of the MENTAL battle between them throughout the entire movie which is genius since Holmes & martyarty are both....well...geniuses so some people might dislike that well implemented scene!! Hopefully guy Richie will make a third movie because it deserves it for being good at keeping people interested in the story without over use of special effects....wink Prometheus wink...my verdict:9/10… Expand

'Observancy is a dying art.'

So sayeth the late, great Stanley Kubrick regarding the self-perceived genius of his final film. He was talking about the tiny details inserted into every scene of Eyes Wide Shut, leaving the sharp-eyed viewer with more questions than answers with every viewing. Sherlock Holmes' ability to notice these fine points, and the camera's ability to linger on them just long enough to give you a fighting chance of solving the problem before he does, is one of the few quality aspects of this film. As for the rest of it, A Game of Shadows adheres to the typical conventions of a sequel. That is, bigger, louder and more ambitious, but ends up being nowhere near as fun as its predecessor.

With Dr. Watson (Jude Law) happy to have the events of the past behind him, he makes plans for his long-overdue marriage. That is until news spreads regarding a series of mysterious bombings in and around London. Never one to work alone, Watson is again dragged into the deep end by the crafty Holmes (Robert Downey Jnr.). And so, with the help of Holmes' highly inappropriate brother Mycroft (Stephen Fry) and Simza the gypsy (Noomi Rapace), they are led to Holmes' greatest adversary, the evil but equally cunning Moriarty (Jared Harris).

If that sounds more like a trailer blurb than a synopsis, it is because attempting to explain this plot in detail would only result in digging a deeper hole. One of the strengths of the first instalment (trying to steer away from the word 'original' here) was a plot that was balanced enough to keep the viewer's attention without seeming too simple, and allowing for some enjoyable interplay between the utterly immersive Holmes and Watson. This time around, however, director Guy Ritchie substitutes substance for style, placing great importance on keeping the film moving from place to place to place with very little deduction in between. These efforts to keep the audience's mind occupied actually end up having negative effects, as the film degrades into more of a visual spectacle, and less of a romping mystery, with every passing scene. In fact, from the absurd set piece involving a firefight on a train halfway through the film, the rest of the story seems to almost give up on anything that could even be considered rational or believable. Suspension of disbelief is a key requirement when watching films like this, sure, but Shadows takes things to new levels of foolishness, wasting the chance to deliver a fresh, clever sequel.

Despite these occasionally over-the-top moments, the action is mostly well directed, albeit with a tendency to overuse slow motion and crash zooms at key moments. Holmes' re-imagining as an expert martial artist is still fun to watch, and his methods of predicting his opponent's entire move set before the fight has even begun are more refined in this film. His prior planning to prevent poor performance meets its match during the climax when we see Moriarty studying Holmes in the same way, resulting in the film's best moment by a long margin.

Speaking of our hero's arch-nemesis, Moriarty's presence is disappointingly underwhelming. The best villains are able to invoke a feeling of dread even when off-screen, but it seems this much-lauded mastermind is content to be the office general; watching the good guys fight off hordes of faceless henchmen while he sits in his swivel chair, stroking his cat and practicing his best 'I've been expecting you.' Again, this is not the actor's fault- the character simply suffers from inadequate screen time to develop a truly menacing persona, while other insignificant side characters clog up the scenery (not including Rapace's Simza, who has the whole hippie-gypsy dread thing going on to great effect).

But, for all its pitfalls, it would be unfair to give this film anything less than a straight average score, particularly in the light of almost all other blockbuster franchises still alive today. Yes, RDJ's characterisation has regressed from 'charmingly pompous' to 'borderline psychopath' in the last two years, but he and Law still try their darndest to make it work.

*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review.*… Expand

I actually thought this was very great and even better than the first one. This one had the action, comedy, Adams, and of course the best acting people who can work good together. I will actuall buy this one when it comes out. Please make a third one.

Such a dull and boring movie. The only thing that is possibly interesting at all are the fists fights due to the obscure filming. I would rather watch Bridesmaids than this garbage, and Bridesmaids was one horrid piece of crap. From about 10 minutes in I was ready to walk away, and that feeling didn't change. The story was boring, Rachel Mcadams was in it for about 5 minutes. The jokes weren't funny and the action was barely enjoyable and fancy. Worst movie of 2011 and 2012 at present.… Expand

A Game of Shadows didn't have quite the same appeal as the first as there's a bit too much unnecessary talking, and started to drag a little towards the end (numb ass and a bit of shuffling in my seat...), but was still enjoyable to watch. The fight scene breakdowns are back and are really good, especially the last! Best section by far though is the forest run (seen in the trailer), the slow motion, fast spins and explosions were great!

If you liked the first, you'll probably like this too, but prepare to be a little let down I think.… Expand

Robert Downey Jr is best as always. The slow motion scenes are just Awesome.I will say it is better than the previous one. Amazing film everyone should watch it once.

While perhaps not as taught as the first movie, and sad to see some major characters being killed off, I thought this movie was a fun romp. There were definitely uneven points in the plot, but on the whole I laughed pretty hard at the interactions between Holmes and Watson and enjoyed the stylized Guy Ritchie action scenes. I've heard some complaints about the choice of actor for Professor Moriarty, but he was definitely creepy and intelligent enough to pull it off. I just wish Noomi Rapace hadn't been so underutilized.… Expand

Game of shadows is loosely based on the same story as The Reichenbach Fall/Final Problem episodes of the BBC show but here the plot is not presented with the same interesting detective mystery style that Sherlock Holmes should be and is padded out by endless and mostly pointless action scenes that make it far longer than it should be and even more boring than the 1st film. We have action films for action scenes, there is no reason to mutate Sherlock Holmes into Rambo. He never even does his observation analysis thing once in the whole 75% of the film I watched.… Expand

Fast-paced, excitingly action-packed, nicely acted, and full of humor, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is fun, brilliant movie that lives up to its equally funny and entertaining predecessor. 9/10.

I'm no big fan of sherlock holmes and definitely not of guy ritchie (snatch apart) but this was a really entertaining movie. Perhaps the relatively low scores are in part due to the BBC's 'Sherlock' which is very british and this is just very american. As a brit, if i loved sherlock holmes i would probably hate this, but just judging the movie purely on its entertainment value, i have to say its a 'good un'. From the beginning, the film is well shot, well acted, with decent action set pieces and a fairly good story. Its well worth a watch whether you like 'holmes' or not.… Expand

The beginning of the movie is kind of boring and just plain action with less content but the 2nd half pays up for it with more chess moving.. the climax scene with Sherlock and Moriarty is just pure awesome.

SH2 offers a great blend of action and mystery, and it's worth a few laughs. RDJ, Jared Harris and Stephen Fry are all phenomenal. The ending left a few things open to question, but I'm sure that will all get cleared up in SH3. Overall, I think most people who enjoyed the first one will enjoy this one as well.

The movie was good but the ending kinda killed it. The pity I had was quickly vanished when Sherlock was still alive. This movie had potential but thanks to the anti-climatic ending, potential no more.

Terrific adventure with fine acting from the stars, and plot twists that will have you leaning half out of your chair. One of the best characters is Moriarty; the actor does a perfect job of communicating both the man's intelligence and his coldness as a sociopath. The movie is also very funny, with Mycroft and the butler providing good supporting roles. There's a lot of comedy in the film, only a few confusing points but very tense plot twists. Fans of mystery will have a lot to enjoy in this film.… Expand

If you enjoyed the first one, then this one is worth the time to see. I would not say better than the first, but very close. Downey and Law deliver solid performances.

Fails to capture the magic of the original, long and drawn out, too many fight scenes, not as good as it could have been.

Robert Downey plays a great part, some parts of the story where too drawn out.

The worst movie since Sucker Punch. Despite the fact it steals many things from other (good) movies, this film is not just boring, but doesn't contain any exciting or unsuspected moment. Bored from the start to the end.

An improvement over the original. My audience actually clapped, I think because the ending was clever, more so than the rest of the film. It's good they killed off Holmes' love interest early so they could concentrate on the real romantic relationship between Watson and Holmes. Not sure why they tried to make Downey look like the Joker in Batman in one scene.

This movie is awesome, mind blowing, amazing, i don't know how else to describe it. The execution, sound effects, the atmosphere of the nineteenth century have been done most efficiently. The story has been conveyed very well to the audience throughout the film. I don't understand why the critics have insulted this beautiful piece of art by giving it a 48.
I think, the only thing that kept me from giving this movie a 10, is that the conventional Sherlock Holmes approach was not there, and the story could have been a little more complicated for Sherlock Holmes.
This movie can be watched how many ever times a person desires to.… Expand

Still doing a great job at incorporating elements from Doyle's books, and Moriarity was played perfectly. It amazes me that critics liked MI:6 better than this

Good blockbuster fare but nothing too memorable. Lacks the surprise factor of the first and just a little too much slow-mo. There are worse ways to waste a couple of hours.

I thought the movie was great fun. As long as you do not expect to see the classic Sherlock Holmes in the books I think you will be pleasantly surprised. The whole theatre was laughing and enjoying the movie and I was too.

Much better than the previous film: I could understand everything RDJr said this time, and the action sequences were more easy to follow (just!). The central relationship between Holmes and Watson was beautifully done and it looked great. In all, a perfectly entertaining night out.

I really liked the second installment of Sherlock Homes. I really enjoy Robert DJ as Sherlock, as well Jude makes a marvelous Watson. I really hope there will be another

Like the previous Sherlock Holmes movie I had no idea what was going on until the ending when everything came together, however overall this movie has good action scenes and is entertaining.

More witty, humorous and action packed than the first one,it also had one of THE BEST endings you ever likely to see in any movie of any genre....!!!

Some movies you watch in order to see beauty; some movies you watch in order to think and contemplate; some movies you watch so that you can be entertained. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" is certainly in the third category, and it knows it. This movie is about entertainment and not much more. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law perform their parts very well as Sherlock and Watson. I would rate the movie more highly but I think that it could use some tightening in its plot. Nonetheless, the bedlam of the action sequences married to the erudition of the movie's wit make for good cinema.… Expand

I give this movie a solid, easy 10. It was fast- paced and had a more compelling plot than the previous movie. I particularly like how this movie gave you all the clues in such a way that in the end, you had a fantastic moment of blissful realization when you saw how the whole puzzle fit together and saw Holmes' plan. I would definitely recommend it.

I wonder how this got such a high score. I didn't find it funny, or engaging or compelling. It didn't interest me at all. Enough said. When I find a movie THIS boring, I can't help but give it a low rating.

I enjoyed this film! I liked as much as the first one. It was also more simple to understand. And it was FUNNY. It was everything, comedy, action, drama, mystery (a little little little bit of romance). And the death of Irene was terrible, I liked how Sherlock was silently hurt.

Great movie. Great intriguing plot and amazing acting. If there is one thing that bothered me, it was the fact that most of Sherlock Holmes' wit took a backseat to the more favoured action sequences which are not staple of Holmes. The first movie balanced action and wit pretty well, here not so much. But I found myself at the edge of my seat much more this time, and it had a more intriguing plot.

The first one was an amusing little action flick, even if it had nothing to do with Sherlock Holmes. This one doesn't even try to be a good movie, and they've stopped pretending to be Sherlock and Watson altogether. Terrible movie.

even if i have 600 American movies at home ,and love them true I can't let you hurt this movie
why tell so many lies about a movie you just don't get ?
a movie you couldn't have made in the U-S ?
the 19 th century 's Europe was so civilized and SHerlock will never be the usual "american primal cop"
and this movie is far too brilliant to be compared to the regular U-S "entertainment" 's productions
if any big movie was half as good ,I would definitely shut up!… Expand

I liked this as much as the first one. That's saying a lot, it was one of my all time favorites. Great fun . The action flows very well and a cool surprise ending. Awesome movie.

I like reading the critics reviews because they further help me understand that movies are primarily about entertainment and that the majority of America cares about just that fact. Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows was simply very entertaining. Kudos to Guy Ritchie and the cast taking it up a few notches. From start to finish the intrigue of how this one will end never disappoints, the action is first rate and Robert continues to embody the Sherlock Holmes character. See the movie, its entertaining!… Expand

The first few scenes of the movie confirmed my fears that it was a bit of a departure from the atmosphere of the first. The action is consistently high instead of masterfully ebb and flow, the setting is a bit unrealistically global (though with good reason) instead of meaningfully localized, and lengthy gunfights have replaced most of the proper beat-downs. What surprised me is that every scene thereafter completely justifies it. Sherlock is already deep into this mystery by the time the movie begins and by the time you catch up to what he's figured out about Moriarty's intention's, it'd have been ridiculous for him not to have brought along as many bullets as possible. All in all, I dare say that I'm more pleased than I probably would have been with a "more of the same" sequel. Like it's predecessor, the scenery is beautiful, the acting is great, the soundtrack's superb, the special effects well exceeded my expectations and the sets, costumes, and casting make it all work perfectly. Unfortunately, my high praise likely hinges on the condition that they don't make a third movie. As much as I'd love to see more, I'm afraid there's nowhere left to go but down.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really enjoyed viewing this second installment in the Sherlock Holmes franchise. The performances by Downey and Law were as fluid and enjoyable to watch, if not more, than their performances in the first film. The plot is as clever as ever and there is a nice blend of comedy, action, and drama that appeals to a wide audience. My only gripe is that I would have liked to seen some more of McAdam's character, Irene Adler, as her absent personality was evident, but one could argue that it helped separate the second from the first film. It definitely left Holmes with a motive and allowed him to concentrate more on ruining Moriarty.… Expand