DVD Corner's blog

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows 4K UHD Review

“Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows” is superior to the first in every way.

Anarchists! Bombs! A fortune teller and Gypsies! Mycroft Holmes! Watson and Mary marry! A major death! Deductions! An impending war! Professor Moriarty! These are but a few of the things you can expect in this 2011 sequel sequel to “Sherlock Holmes.”

With the first film you could see the franchise potential of the entertaining but deeply flawed “Sherlock Holmes.” With the Guy Ritchie directed “Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows,” that potential starts to be realized with a sequel that improves upon the original in virtually every manner. Whereas the first film suffered from a poor plot involving a forgettable villain, the sequel includes the villain we all want to see- Moriarty. Wonderfully played by actor Jared Harris, Moriarty’s inclusion goes a long way in making this sequel stand-out. This is especially evident in the intense and riveting third act (no spoilers here). It doesn’t hurt that the final act borrows heavily from the fan favorite Sherlock story “The Final Problem” either. 

Another welcome inclusion here is the inspired casting of Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes. Granted, his small part is a little too jokey at times, but his scenes were quite memorable and livened up the sequel as a whole.

Of course, both Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law continue to shine in their respective roles as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. Even if the movies around them are far from great art, it’s fun to just watch the dynamic between the two acting legends.

Even though the sequel is an improvement upon the first, it is not without its flaws. Like the first film, it’s still very action heavy and stylized which may feel tedious for some viewers. The fortune teller/gypsy storyline also doesn’t quite pan out here and ultimately feels slapped together.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.40:1 2160p. How does it look? Expect another crisp 4K transfer.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? From Hans Zimmer’s score to the explosive action, this track will put your speakers to work.
Extras (on the Blu-ray disc):
* Blu-ray copy
* Digital copy
* “Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows” interactive movie app
* Maximum Movie Mode: “Inside The Mind Of Sherlock Holmes”- A Robert Downey Jr. hosted extra that is essentially a video commentary.
* “Focus Points”- 7 featurettes on the action, Moriarty, Sherlock and Watson, Mycroft, the Gypsy characters, the cast, and shooting locations. 

September 19, 2020 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Jared Harris, Jude Law, Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows 4K UHD Review