Sherlock Holmes -The Game of Shadows

[TheDude]

Found this to be a bit rubbish really, of all the Sherlock Holmes adaptations over the years this must be the worst. Too many boring slow motion fight scenes and explosions (Resident Evil style), various plot twists clumsily telegraphed ahead, very little finesse and surprise, and the subtlety of a brick through a window. Oh yeah I forgot, it's a Guy Ritchie movie. It's camp but attempts at humour were mostly feeble. Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock is somewhat amusing but has too much Iron Man in him. Jared Harris did make a fantastic Moriarty, and Stephen Fry is always a great addition to any cast (although why he had to be naked I can't understand), but I'm just not b*ying Jude Law as Dr Watson. In conclusion, Guy Ritchie should stop making films. 5/10

[raj101]

Guy Ritchie movies are indicative of what film making has become this last decade, no plot or script but heavy on fancy effects.

This was pretty much like the first, rather so so with a fairly entertaining string of events in a superlative location to rescue the film in the last half hour. Odd that the script feature little wit, considering Sherlock is considered a wit to woo.

Gorgeous location sets though... though. half the fun was spotting the blatant anachronisms in the settings and script - the 'Relic of Afghanistan' being the oddest (EDIT-or so I thought, until KK and C_T pointed out it wasnt a reference to our recent war but a reference to the Holmes novels. I should read more).

Though Watson and Holmes' relationship works in a frantic way, its a pity that Fry was wasted, or perhaps I mean his Oxbridge education is wasted if the no-wit zone he displays here is the peak of his career. Well, the movie made him look devoid of wit tbf. And the female roles were equally weak - Dragon Tattoo girl spend most of the movie staring at people with her mouth full of food, and Adler/McAdams was several rungs down Adler in the first movie. Pity we didnt get more of Watson's wife, when she was on the screen she came across plummy and interesting.

I think if you are big on visual style then this type of film may appeal more to you.

[a_person]

Are people using vouchers to watch this? Any luck at using it at an Odeon?

[Celini]

i used 1 voucher at Odeon Holloway, but it's too far for you
(don't you have cineworld vouchers? want one?)

[kevinknapman]

half the fun was spotting the blatant anachronisms in the settings and script - the 'Relic of Afghanistan' being the oddest.

Why is that an anachronism?

[canadian_turtle]

half the fun was spotting the blatant anachronisms in the settings and script - the 'Relic of Afghanistan' being the oddest.

Why is that an anachronism?

Reading that I was just thinking that it abbreviates to RoA \m/

[raj101]

oh i bet it does lol^

half the fun was spotting the blatant anachronisms in the settings and script - the 'Relic of Afghanistan' being the oddest.

Why is that an anachronism?

not sure why you are asking. Even if we had a battle there in some war back then, the phrase is deliberately used for its reference to the our troops over there today. Its being used out of place/time. Maybe theres another word for doing that?

[kevinknapman]

oh i bet it does lol^

half the fun was spotting the blatant anachronisms in the settings and script - the 'Relic of Afghanistan' being the oddest.

Why is that an anachronism?

not sure why you are asking. Even if we had a battle there in some war back then, the phrase is deliberately used for its reference to the our troops over there today. Its being used out of place/time. Maybe theres another word for doing that?

It isn't deliberately being used to reference our troops now. In the original books it is mentioned that Dr Watson saw military service in Afghanistan. It's not anachronistic at all.

[canadian_turtle]

oh i bet it does lol^

half the fun was spotting the blatant anachronisms in the settings and script - the 'Relic of Afghanistan' being the oddest.

Why is that an anachronism?

not sure why you are asking. Even if we had a battle there in some war back then, the phrase is deliberately used for its reference to the our troops over there today. Its being used out of place/time. Maybe theres another word for doing that?

I'm probably missing something obvious as I haven't seen this film yet, but Watson worked as a doctor in the army in Afghanistan in the original books, so it doesn't seem a far stretch for it to be mentioned?

[raj101]

I'm probably missing something obvious as I haven't seen this film yet, but Watson worked as a doctor in the army in Afghanistan in the original books, so it doesn't seem a far stretch for it to be mentioned?

oh thats fair enough, I wasnt aware of that.

I just couldnt see how a british solder (it was referring to Watson's sniper, i think) would be specifically in Afghanistan of all places, in the 19th century, it was clearly a reference to the current war to me. But its nice to know that its substantiated by the book in some way, thanks.