The sequel takes place a short time after the original. Not
much has changed, really: Holmes is still chasing after Moriarty, Irene Adler
is still acting as Moriarty’s agent, and Watson is still planning on marrying
Mary Morstan. However, this film is the cumulative battle of wits between the
famed detective and his arch-nemesis, so things kick into high gear and Holmes
and Watson are reunited.
What follows is an enigmatic tour across Europe, where
Holmes tries to uncover what sort of insidious plan Moriarty’s recent
atrocities have been leading up to. I won’t spoil it for you, but like the
first film some leaps of faith are required in order to tie everything
together. In addition to seeing Moriarty’s face for the first time, Holmes
works with a new female co-star, Noomi Rapace as a gypsy named Simza. Her
destiny is intertwined with that of the protagonists.
Director Guy Ritchie follows up on the cinematic conventions
from the first film, including Holmes’ special style of pre-planning his
battles, by adding some interesting techniques to the mix. There is a very
powerful scene that takes place in a forest, Holmes fleeing bullets and bombs,
that I doubt you have seen the like of before. Intermingled slow-motion,
exaggerated sound effects, and a variety of other features made each fight
something unique and memorable. It’s only a shame that the story has to suffer
as a result.
It’s true, the action starts almost immediately and most of
the film turns into a giant chase scene, Holmes employing any and all means of
transportation to follow his foe across country borders. Between gunfights and
fistfights, there is little time to develop a rapport between the classic
rivals. Actor Jared Harris gives Moriarty a strong performance that makes his
lack of screen time seem inconsequential, though.
This film stands out as a blockbuster with strong, if
shoehorned, action scenes and a narrative that shows the proper way to build a
sequel upon the fountain of a successful origin film. If you’ve seen the first
one, you won’t be disappointed by the second. If you haven’t seen the first
one, you may be in over your head.
No comments:
Post a Comment