Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

          Well Guy Ritchie did it again. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was extremely confusing but managed to be entertaining. At the moment, I find it hard to say if I liked it or not. It was well directed, written, and acted yet my mind seemed to not follow what was happening. 

          Not only was it more confusing than the first film, it also had a lot more violence. I found that much of the action replaced some of the witty dialogue between Holmes and Watson along with scenes showing Holmes’ impeccable intellect.  All of the action scenes were wonderfully choreographed and turned out beautifully on camera. Much of this is because of the delightful cinematography. 

          If someone were to ask me what the best part of the new Sherlock Holmes was, I would have to say the cinematography. While beautifully crafted, the scenes successfully conveyed the film’s desired emotions such as anxiety, fear, and confusion. Ritchie used a great deal of slow motion within certain scenes which was magnificent. These scenes are absolutely mind blowing. Unlike many movies, Ritchie made sure not to overuse slow motion which made those few scenes more memorable.

          Just like the first film, the acting and casting was terrific. I couldn’t think of better actors to play the characters.  The on screen chemistry seemed to be real, but also unique due to the amazing dialogue.

          While it may not have been an instant success in my mind, I cannot fully judge the film until I see it a second time in order to fully appreciate and understand it. Hopefully I will enjoy it more in the future.  

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

          Probably the biggest reason I love about Guy Ritchie films is because of the heavy incorporation of British humor. RocknRolla, Snatch, and Sherlock Holmes are perfect examples of this.

          The storyline for this film is absolutely unbelievable. The complexity of the rivalries between the various groups of characters is spectacular and captivating. While the beginning is a bit slow, the movie steadily increases in intensity until the final scene. One of the reasons why I love this movie is due to this rising action. Just as the tension becomes unbearable, the movie ends and leaves the viewer with the choice to make up their own ending. Either the ending can be comedic, where Tom throws the guns off the bridge, or it can be a happy ending, where Tom answers his cell phone first. Either way, the ending is magnificent. 

          I found the cinematography to be memorable, but not revolutionary. This could be because this is one of Guy Ritchie’s first movies.  Still, I feel that it is above average.  One scene where I was truly captivated was the drinking scene after the successful robbery.  I absolutely loved how sections would be sped up slightly, than slowed down to give the scene a time lapsing party effect. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the long shots with wide pans to fully show the environment. I feel like this is one of the few situations where this technique is used perfectly. Finally, I was thrilled by the extreme camera tilts. Multiple scenes have the camera flipped from 90 to 180 degrees. By doing this, Ritchie was able to capture the drunk-like feel of the party. 

          To his benefit, this seems to be one of Jason Statham’s better roles. Usually he is a complete monster, fighting unrelenting enemies sporting various weapons, shirtless, covered in oil. This film showed a more realistic side of him with better dialogue.

          Along with Statham, the rest of the cast was well chosen. Each actor seemed to fit their role perfectly.  

          Overall, Lock, Stock and Two Smokin Barrels is an astonishing film. While it is Guy Ritchie’s first film, it is also one of his best.