It’s elementary!

THERE is something magnificently appealing about Guy Ritchie’s directorial style. He knows exactly how long each scene should last before it outstays its welcome and that skill serves him well when overseeing a film like this one.

The mark of a great director is that you can spot one of their movies from a mile off; they all have a trademark and leave a metaphorical calling card. Hitchcock, Burton and Cameron are some of the most noteworthy and although Ritchie isn’t in the same league as them yet, he’s definitely on his way.

This movie picks up right from where the last one left off, with a long-awaited showdown between Holmes (Downey Jr.) and his nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Harris), coming into focus.

Set in 1890s Europe, Watson (Law) has gone off to get married, leaving Holmes without his trusted friend to keep him company. So what does the world’s greatest detective do when he’s bored … you guessed it, he goes after the most diabolical criminal genius of the time, Moriarty.

Moriarty is intent on starting the First World War, 20 years before it actually happened (some would argue that makes him a visionary) and obviously Holmes is hot on his trail.

Since Watson is to be married, Holmes takes it upon himself to send his friend off into a life of monogamy in style and takes him and his brother, Mycroft (Stephen Fry) to a bachelor party none of them will ever forget.
 
At the party, Holmes saves one of Moriarty’s intended victims, a gypsy fortune teller called Sim. It is best not to question why a criminal mastermind would want to kill a lowly gypsy, so just go with it.

After the incident Holmes meets with Moriarty who tells him in no uncertain terms that if he continues to stand in the way of his diabolical vision, Watson will be his next victim.

Never one to back down from a threat, Holmes takes it upon himself to stow away on Watson’s honeymoon, to watch over the couple. When Moriarty’s men show up, Holmes throws Mary to safety, which leaves the super sleuth and his sidekick to indulge in some breathtaking slow-motion fight sequences.

The rest of the movie involves the pair eagerly pursuing Moriarty with a lot of laughs, plenty of action and some big surprises along the way.

Downey Jr. is a delight to watch and the reason, in my opinion, is because he knows how to play someone with flaws. Some would argue that this comes easy to him because of his troubled past, however, he delivers the goods and that’s all that really matters to this critic.

 Holmes is a tough character to portray but Downey Jr. does it with panache and a cheeky charm that really brings the super sleuth to life on-screen.

Jude Law, meanwhile, plays the trusted side-kick with a great sense of long-suffering fun. It always seems like Watson is reluctant to get involved with Holmes’ shenanigans but for his sins, always seems to anyway.

It would be easy to be overshadowed by Downey Jr.s’ charm but Law brings a fair whack of his own and the two have a wonderful on-screen chemistry which makes the film all the more entertaining.

The actors bounce off each other so well that I’d almost say they’ve replaced Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as my favourite movie duo.

However, for me, the real star of this film is Fry … his cuttingly wry sense of humour could brighten anyone’s darkest day. He shines in his role as Holmes’ older brother and interjects some of the funnier quips almost effortlessly.
 
The last movie was more of a mystery, whereas this one is definitely more action-based and less taxing on the old brain box. That’s not to say it isn’t a clever offering, it is, and it’s worth noting that sometimes simplicity pays off.

I have no doubt that this film will divide critics and film connoisseurs alike but, in my opinion, it is a winner.

Showing in Cineco, Seef I and Saar Cineplex