The Girl With the Sherlock Tattoo

I just saw "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" and can safely say it's as fun

as the first one. Hopefully, I can write a review without spoilers.. but be warned anyway. Guy Ritchie directed this second film, so from the standpoint of visuals it has the same look as the first. Gritty London streets, fantastic and varied costuming, and a roller-coaster pacing throughout the film. Hans Zimmer returned to score the film, Jenny Beavan was once more in charge of the spectacular period costumes, and Richard Ryan as the Fight Director served up another round of the intriguing (albeit Matrixy) slo-mo "pre-vis" Holmes fights. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law worked seamlessly once more as Holmes and Watson, and with Kelly Reilly and Rachel McAdams back as the lovely Mary Watson (nee Morstan) and the slinky "whose side am I on now" Irene Adler, there are two lovely faces to watch. Added to the already great cast are Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes; you might recognize him from "V: For Vendetta", and the much prettier Noomi Rapace, the original and hardcore "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" actress. Tom O'Connell, one of the tribe of O'Connell's spawned by Skywalker Sound handled Foley this time around, so the explosions are big without being ear-piercing, and the little nuances are all there to fill the appropriate momments. Holmes is up against Moriarty (who else???) and the game is afoot from frame 4. Plot twists are relatively few, and there are several important clues and foreshadowings dropped.. and I missed one of them. There are plenty of funny scenes in the film, including a badly cross-dressed Holmes, and wait for Stephen Fry's big moment. There is also a sly little nod to "Two Mules For Sister Sara", which I just happened to see again a few weeks ago. They use the title theme from that movie at one point, and when you see this, you will know why and get an extra laugh. The confrontations between Moriarty and Holmes are the slowest sections of the film; but since they are filled with innuendo, snide repartee, and that lovely Victorian England uber-polite "I hate you, and plan to fill your intestines with burning coals. Tea?" dialogue, you don't get bored by the change of tempo. If "My Dinner With Andre" had that sort of dialogue and tension, I would own it. All in all, well worth my time and money; and the audience applauded heartily at the end; always a good sign. Did I mention that Noomi is hot?