Review - Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

“It is deliciously complicated”, muses Robert Downey Jr’s sleuth whilst elucidating a cunning plot development mid film. The same could be said about Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Guy Ritchie’s sequel to the sleeper hit of 2009, an enjoyable action romp frequently marred by lengthy chunks of over exposition. A bit of a contradiction though, for a film based on fiction’s greatest detective.

Shadows sees Sherlock Holmes investigate a series of bombings across mainland Europe, leading him to suspect the renowned Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), a man as brilliant as he is ruthless. Along the way Holmes enlists the help of mysterious gypsy girl Sim (Noomi Rapace), who may be an integral part in undoing Moriarty’s terrorist plans, and the ever reliable Dr. Watson (Jude Law), who would rather be enjoying his honeymoon in Brighton.  

Perhaps the biggest problem with Ritchie’s movies is how far they depart from the source material. Take Robert Downey Jr. for example, who plays Sherlock as Jack Sparrow: brilliant, foolish, charming and outlandish all at once. It is an affable performance that will win audiences over, but leave purists unimpressed and immensely frustrated at how Holmes’ genius is used less to detect clues at the scene of a crime and instead more often employed to predict the outcome of intricate combat sequences. A less charitable critic might argue that Conan Doyle’s work has been given the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen treatment, and anyone who has seen Steve Norrington’s film will know that is not a compliment.

But look past the alterations in tone and character and you’ll see there is a lot to love about A Game of Shadows. The chemistry between Law and Downey Jr. is worth the price of the ticket alone, as the two chums bicker and banter like an old married couple even during the most unusual of scenarios (Watson being caught between Holmes’ thighs whilst in a drag is a sight to behold). Jared Harris is suitably malicious as Moriarty, although he is far from being the menacing figure cloaked in shadows that the posters initially made him out to be. Sadly, Noomi Rapace’s gypsy feels like an afterthought, as she is given very little to do other than adorn the screen in exotic garb.

If anything, the Sherlock Holmes films serve as proof that Guy Ritchie, who has always operated better in his comfort zone made up of Brit mobster flicks, is perfectly capable of handling a big budget franchise. He may have a mild case of the Snyder (too much slow-mo can inadvertently kill an action scene), but should also be commended for delivering a climax that is both visually inventive and highly intellectual in its nature. Now that’s the sort of finale even Conan Doyle would approve. 

3/5

Review - Another Earth

In Mike Cahill’s Sundance crowd-pleaser, a teenage student kills a professor’s family in a traffic collision on the same night of the discovery of a duplicate planet Earth. Four years later she is released from prison and begins insinuating herself into the life of the unsuspecting widow, all the while Earth II is edging closer to our world. Another Earth eschews apocalyptic clichés and ponders instead on hefty themes like loss and redemption, the sci-fi element being a mere backdrop to what is essentially an existential drama. Compelling food for thought, although the overall tone may be a little too cold to keep viewers hooked throughout those lugubrious 92 minutes.   

3/5  

Review - Hugo

Those who caught a glimpse of the trailer for Hugo earlier this year must have had a hard time believing it was Martin Scorsese’s latest offering. With its light tone, mild slapstick and prepubescent characters racing through an old station, it felt like watching a preview of the next Narnia film.

Yet while he’s more renowned for his flicks about the mob, it’s very easy to forget that Marty has always been one for exploring new genres. Throughout his long, varied career he has flirted with psycho horror (Shutter Island, Bringing out the Dead); immersed himself in religion and spirituality (Kundun, The Last Temptation of Christ); and tackled the historical epic (Gangs of New York). Hugo sees the diminutive filmmaker’s foray into another unexpected subgenre: the Christmas family film. Who’d have thunk it, eh?

Set in a 1930s Parisian railway station, the film follows young orphan Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield), a resourceful mechanic who spends his time maintaining the building’s clocks and tinkering with a childlike automaton left by his father. Whilst the station itself is a gallery of vibrant characters, Hugo is particularly fascinated with a taciturn shopkeeper (Ben Kingsley) who may be linked to his late father. Aided by the shopkeeper’s daughter Isabelle (Chloe Moretz), the boy sets out to uncover the mystery.

Impressive use of 3D aside (Marty shooting in 3D?? Never!), the first act of Hugo is somewhat lacklustre. Scorsese’s intent is to take time in setting up his characters and the beautifully nostalgic world they inhabit, but in these early stages the film is brought down by an apparent lack of direction. It is a misstep so flagrant, it actually makes you briefly question whether mainstream entertainment is a natural fit for the director.

But this is Scorsese we’re talking about and he has one hell of an ace up his sleeve. Revealing too much would spoil the plot, but it’s safe to say that what starts off as affable family entertainment gradually turns into a surprisingly personal labour of love for the medium of cinema. As the pace picks up, Hugo starts piling up touching references to pioneers and milestones of filmmaking, such as the Lumière brothers, Douglas Fairbanks and George Méliès’ Le Voyage dans la Lune (even the Gare Montparnasse railway derailment gets the cinematic treatment). It goes without saying that all of the above are great sources of inspiration to Scorsese and the directors of his generation.

While Butterfield and Moretz may not possess the requisite gravitas to carry a film (although this is due to their age and inexperience, not an inability to act) they are ably supported by a talented cast. Sacha Baron Cohen turns in a comically rigid performance as station inspector Gustav, while Jude Law makes a welcome, if a little too brief cameo as Hugo’s father, but the real heart and soul of the film though are Ben Kingsley and Helen McCrory. The two veteran actors share a deeply affecting chemistry as an old married couple and as the climax gently unfolds, their final scenes pack a real emotional punch.    

Herein lays Hugo’s greatest strength: it is a film that moves and educates in equal measure and speaks to viewers of all ages. Now that is a proper family film. Well done, Mr Scorsese.

4/5