In Theaters: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows -

By: Tommy Bond, Film Critic

I’ll say this: If you truly enjoyed the first one, and I mean really, truly, “have-watched-it-more-than-once-since-it-came-out-on-DVD” enjoyed it, then you will probably like this one too. Probably.

But me? Well, I enjoyed the first film in the sense that I was amused that they had revamped the Sherlock Holmes franchise into a slick action flick with some high caliber actors. But come on people, let’s be honest, the story was stop and start. The film was sloth-like at some parts, and quick at others. There was no pacing! And the result was me walking out of the theatre saying, “Yeah, that was good”, and planning on never watching it again. I haven’t.

So here we are at the inevitable sequel, with all of the same actors, and a few new ones. This time out we find Sherlock at a bit of a loss as he discovers that Watson plans on getting married. He needs his sleuthing partner, whatever will he do? Well, he throws the lucky lady off a train and then the film proceeds as predictably as you’d expect. Lots of action scenes, lots of slow-motion, lots of explosions. Holmes is extra eccentric this time, often annoyingly so, and Downey’s talents are once again wasted on what could be a wonderfully rich character. If only they’d take a break from the shooting and let him say something intelligent. Instead, he comes off as something more of a stooge to me. His longtime nemesis, Professor Moriarty, is in this one, and he is actually one of the better aspects of the film. Jared Harris gives a calculated, controlled performance that is the perfect foil to Downey’s wild Holmes.

The climax of the film is a chess game between the two men on a snowy balcony, with a surging waterfall underneath them. But physically moving the pieces proves too juvenile for the two titans of brainpower, and what happens next is a scene that was simply brilliant, and is what I would point to when trying to grasp at what the whole film should feel like. I would say that you should go see the film simply to see that scene, but nah. Because here’s the bottom line: This Sherlock film comes out of the gate without a shred of mystery, something the first film certainly had, at the very least. And what’s Holmes without mystery?

Still, I would go to see the first full trailer for Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. My goodness it looks incredible. A moment of silence please, as we dwell on what promises to be an outstanding film.

Unlike this one. Sorry.