A series of bombings across Europe are threatening to start a war between France and Germany; Sherlock Holmes is convinced that the man behind it is Professor James Moriarty. The authorities don't agree though; Moriarty is a respected academic and counts Prime Ministers amongst his friends. Holmes is of course right but proving it will be difficult and Moriarty is aware that he is being investigated. He decides to make things personal, first killing Holme's friend Irene Adler then targeting the newly married Watson and his wife Mary. Holmes manages to save the latter two but their plans for a honeymoon must be put on hold as Holmes and Watson head to France. Here they find themselves working alongside Gypsy fortune-teller Madam Simza Heron as they race to uncover exactly what Moriarty is up to; all leading to the famous meeting at the Reichenbach Falls.After and enjoyable opening film this sequel manages to keep the enjoyment going. The story is fun and there is plenty of action from start to finish. Much of this action is fairly stylised; notably in a sequence where people are fleeing through woodland while under artillery fire where trees shatter in ultra-slow motion; I found this highly effective although I can see how some viewers won't be so impressed. There is also a particularly exciting fight on a train. As well as good action there are also plenty of laughs throughout the film. Most of the jokes are fairly obvious but some are more subtle; I loved the musical joke of having the theme from the film 'Two Mules for Sister Sara' play as Holmes rode a donkey behind his horse riding companions. The cast do a solid job; Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law continue to impress as Holmes and Watson and newcomers Noomi Rapace and Stephen Fry are fun as Madam Heron and Holmes brother Mycroft. Jared Harris makes a fine Moriarty; threatening without tipping over to be a pantomime villain. Overall I'd say this was a fun film and heartily recommend it to anybody who enjoyed the first film… however if you didn't like this first film I suspect you'd be equally disappointed with this as it is similar in style.

One of the first criminal-geniuses in genre fiction is Professor Moriarty, the ever-present nemesis of Sherlock Holmes. The latter calls him "The Napoleon of Crime". Part of a successful Holmes film is how well Moriarty is portrayed. In this installment of the Robert Downey/Jude Law Sherlock Holmes film series, Moriarty is played by Jared Harris, a British actor and one of the best casting choices for the role to date. (Andrew Scott also makes a fine Moriarty, albeit a younger version, in the updated-modernized "Holmes" BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.) Prior to Moriarty, few if any criminal-geniuses were portrayed in genre literature, and Conan Doyle's creation remains one of the best. (Later characters in genre fiction of a similar nature include the Joker, Mr. Ripley, Lex Luther, and Dr. Hannibal Lecter.)The film is at first rather confusing. We learn there have been a series of unexplained explosions around London causing lots of carnage, dismay, grief, and fascination for Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.). A woman then carries a package to a wealthy older man attending an art auction, which turns out to be a bomb discovered by you-know-who. Inside the bomb-package is a letter addressed to a gypsy fortune teller who practices at a cabaret in London. During a bachelor party for Dr. Watson (Jude Law), Holmes intervenes to save the gypsy from an assassin. We don't quite understand the connection between the gypsy and the bombings until well into the film.Holmes soon realizes Moriarty, who fronts as an Oxford professor, is behind the attacks, but he doesn't know why. He meets with the professor at his office at Oxford and there Moriarty claims he is intrigued with Holmes' abilities, the only reason Holmes hasn't been blown to bits like other lesser Londoners. They agree to engage in a chess match of sorts. Moriarty, in true Conan Doyle style, believes he will outdo Holmes. Thereafter, Sherlock and Watson meet with his brother, Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry) who indicates he will be attending a peace conference in Switzerland where the major powers will negotiate to prevent an international war. Eventually, as events plays out, the peace conference and Moriarty's scheming will intersect.The typical devices of the first film are all here, particularly the slow-motion flash-backs and action sequences with Holmes' voice-over describing what's "really happened". Although much of the movie is probably not what Doyle had in mind, Downey still makes a splendid Holmes, always playing his character just a bit understated. Jude Law reprises as the straight-man Dr. Watson, although his character is not quite as well-developed as Martin Freeman's interpretation of the character in "Sherlock". Highest marks for Jared Harris as Moriarty who nearly steals the show. Despite some of the confusion at the beginning, it's enjoyable once the plot becomes clear.

As a Holmes fan, I couldn't have asked for a better take on the stories and the character of Holmes & Dr. Watson. Robert Downey Jr & Jude Law make their roles come alive with such élan that you just refuse to believe that anyone else could take on these roles. The only cast member who I felt was out of place was Jared Harris who acted as Professor James Moriarty. Somehow, I felt the role need someone more cold, calm yet menacing, and deep. Holmes' relationship with Watson is highlighted in this film. Their chemistry is hilariously funny as there are a few scenes involving Holmes dressed as a woman that brings the comedy to its peak with the lines "lie with me Watson". The action scenes were awesomely backed by beautiful cinematography. Some of the scenes help build a connection between the character and audience. For instance, when Holmes's sees everything as he says his curse; it engages the viewer on his personal thoughts. The train ride to Watson's honeymoon & the one with face-off between Moriarty & Holmes are my favourites. The movie ends with a hint of the next sequel. It has been some time since the game of shadows has released. I really am looking forward to the next Sherlock Holmes movie in this series.

One of the easiest ways to sum up Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows would be to say, 'If you liked the first one then you'll love this one too.' It's basically more of the same, but if what was done the first time was a winning formula, then who really care? (it worked for Terminator 1-3!).You have more witticisms from Robert Downey Jr as Holmes, more of long-suffering Jude law as Watson and more trendy and stylish slow-mo directing, courtesy of Guy Ritchie. This time round they team up to lock horns with arguably Holmes' most famous villain - Moriarty.You could call it all a re-tread of the first film, but in different locations, but that would probably be overly cynical. It's a new story in itself and, while certain purists complain that it's not completely faithful to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original books, it's got its own charms. It may not be a hundred per cent accurate or believable, but it's basically Hollywood's take on what Sherlock Holmes was and - in my opinion - it's a pretty exciting take. Bring on Holmes III!