Showing posts with label Sherlock Holmes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sherlock Holmes. Show all posts

Monday, August 26, 2013

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011)

More bloody and intense than the first!!


In the year 1891, a madman genius Professor Moriarty concocts a deadly plan to start a World War. Sherlock Holmes must now convince his partner in crime Dr Watson to join him in one last adventure which may change everyone's lives forever......



Phew!! What an adventure. What an absolute mindbending adventure. I realized it may be an improvement on the first movie, but who thought it would turn out to be such a mind blasting experience. The first one lacked intensity and had less action and blood to show for all the viciousness.  But not this. This raises the stake and makes us more and more breathless with multiple unnerving chase sequences throughout Brighton and France. Action, fight sequences, bomb blasts and much more as you get on the ride of your lives with two characters you can never tire of. Holmes and Watson. Its intense. And yes this time the villain does makes you feel the chill. Though he is not as capable analyst he is a boxing champion. So you know what you gonna get. But be ready to be surprised here and there. Its just AMAZING. Go have a watch.......


Guy Ritchie is back with a bang. Those who enjoyed the first one will be blown by his latest offering. Some beautiful use of the camera and nice shots with more and more ECU shots of all the inanimate objects around. And some stylized action sequences that can make some Bond movies feel insecure. Its pretty damn awesome. As in the first, the recreation of 1891 England is complete. The houses, carriages, the industrialization and the new weapons. And the government's conflict prone attitude. It captures the political scene of that era and gives us some great lesson in History. Plus the writing by Michele and the actor Kieran Mulroney(Paperman) is just wonderfully paced. Some things do happen in the middle which may feel like just for laughs but its essential in a fast paced intense action movie like this to have buffers. And not till the end does it take the foot of the pedestal as we almost die of exhaustion as our heroes criss cross from one country to another fighting and saving their ass just in nick of time. What an absolute delight Ritchie. You rock!!

He sure does scare you!!

When I talked about the first part, I mentioned great acting. And when it comes to the sequel its even better. More meat for Watson(Jude Law) to chew on. And less for Irene(Rachel Mcadams). Infact she gets bumped off in the 1st five minutes. She deserved that I suppose. And the introduction of a new character who's French former revolutionary now gypsy Simza(Noomi Rapace). She acts damn well. And as someone who hasn't watched more of her I suppose they tell the truth about her acting talent. She kicks ass and looks good. And also introduced is the more politically inclined and the darling of the British Bureaucracy, deduction master brother of Holmes, Mycroft(Stephen Fry). He has not much to do but his one sequence where he's walking nude infront of Mrs Mary Watson(Kelly Reilly)is just hilarious. But he gets something to do in the end and its not such a bad Mycroft afterall. And now we come to the two gentlemen who matter the most. Holmes(Robert Downey Jr) and his adversary Professor Moriarty(Jared Harris). Robert's Holmes is a fighter. With the mind as well as the body. More transformed for the modern audiences. He is brilliant. No question. It comes down to finding a perfect adversary. And it is found in Moriarty. He is cool as a cucumber playing chess and cracking jokes and singing stuff. Then suddenly this sneer which can frighten. He is just the right adversary for our lovable disguise master Holmes whose intuitiveness increases in this movie by leaps and bounds almost bordering on the ridiculous. Moriarty also is a Cambridge boxing champion so we know Holmes is not gonna have it easy. But what he goes through in this is just absolutely destructive. Sir Arthur's Holmes would never have survrived this fantastically bleak adventure. Kudos for making the villain more worthy of Holmes and giving us Sherlock fans great faces for our fav characters. Bravo everyone!!


Well done Guy Ritchie and team!!
     
The stylized camerawork and the beautiful lighting as in the first part makes this more beautiful to look at. With great production values and amzing set design we are looking on of the most authentic period suspense thriller to come out since some time. With peppy music ad some classic German which sets yout mood right for the umpteen chase sequences and action scenes. Editing is nice and gives us some fine slow mo shots that look incredible. Although it wasn't required at all the places where they used it i feel. So everything blends beautifully in this action thriller adventure. Great work!!


HighTension Verdict: The first movie was breathless but the villainy wasnt the best part about it. And greater the bad man more the fun watching Holmes fight it out. This has one hell of a madman plus more action and blood. It takes Holmes where not many would think he could go. He was all mental but this new age Holmes is ready for all the physicality. And it bodes well. Have a watch asap. Not many better action suspense thrillers out there..... 


HighTension Meter: 9/10.


BEST Quote:
Moriarty: You see...hidden within the unconscious is an insatiable desire for conflict. So you're not fighting me...so much as you are the human condition. All I want is to own the bullets and the bandages. War, on an industrial scale, is inevitable. They'll do it themselves, within a few years. All I have to do...is wait.


Sunday, August 18, 2013

Review : Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Wikipedia


Sherlock and his dear friend Watson get embroiled with a dangerous cult in London which has plans to take over the world. So the two join forces along with Irene Adler to save England from catastrophe.....


I got a complete case of Sherlock Holmes book when I was 10. It was gifted to me by my dad. And since that time I am completely captivated and baffled by the mind numbing deduction capacity of this world famous detective, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I never for once felt that it was just fiction, making plans to meet him one day and impressing him with my own deducing. But sadly he was. And I could only read and imagine myself meeting with this great man and his friend Watson drinking wine and accompanying them during one of their macabre adventures. And that imagination was helped a lot when this movie arrived and gave the perfect face to my dear Sherlock and Watson. So I just jumped at the first opportunity to watch this and now having watched this more than 10 times I realize I am in love with Sherlock. Still. And sorry to say also with Irene now. Just to see the perfect characters play the roles I only read and fantasized about makes this one of my favourite book film ever. And a great suspense thriller at that. Nice!!



Guy Ritchie( RockNRolla, Snatch) directs this as beautifully as he has over his sparse career. Some vivid colours and great production values add this magnificent work. Helped along by great camerawork he recreates England of the time when it was the strongest and the more technologically advanced. The suspension bridge was being still tested and horse carriages were the preferred mode of travel. The period look is perfect and Baker Street and Sherlock's house just looks damn good. He extracts good performances out of his actors and crew and makes this one of the most wonderful thriller suspense I've seen in many years. Most enjoyable!!


The perfect Sherlock and Irene!!


Acting by far is the best thing that has happened to the movie. Sometimes you make pictures of your favourite book characters in your head and when it translates into a movie. Theres scope for disappointment. But not here. These roles are just perfect helmed. Damn everyone fits it to the "T". Especially the trio of Robert Downey Jr(Sherlock), Jude Law(Watson) and Rachel Mcadams(Irene). Its just mindblowing work by the three who just work their magic and make us believe that if Sir Arthur had seen it maybe he would approved of them. Sherlock as the goofy but inhumanly brilliant detective with maybe some feelings for Dr Watson just grows on you and Jude Law as his roommate and great friend just aces it. In a small but not so insignificant role is Rachel as the only woman who , to quote Watson "Made a proper idiot" out of Sherlock, TWICE. She exudes carefree and dangerous and vulnerable feeling all at the same time as Sherlock refuses to fall for her. And to support such a wonderful cast is Kelly Reilly(Mary) the girl about to marry Watson. And who could forget Lestrade played by Eddie Marsan. But such a cunning detective needs a much more cunning adversary to make for an engaging battle. And we get Lord Blackwood(Mark Strong) who makes a rather strong impression and strikes fear into our hearts. Although we soon realize he won't be a match for our beloved detective but his theatrics does help in enjoying this movie more. Excellent work!!


Sir Arthur just turned in his grave!!


This movie looks good and has a very good feel thanks to some awesome work by the DOP Phillippe Rousselot(Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Planet Of The Apes). As his huge repotoire suggests he is really that excellent and gives some texture and colour in this movie. Plus some nice music and awesome editing means you get too engrossed to know that its a 2hours and 10 minutes movie. Excellent effects and production value just add to the experience.



HighTension Verdict:  People who grew up reading Sherlock, please watch this. And if you like suspense action thrillers this is pure class. So order or make some popcorn ,sit back and enjoy on your plasmas ASAP. Especially for that one shipyard sequence which is guaranteed to leave you breathless!!


HighTension Meter: 9/10


BEST Quote:

Sherlock Holmes: Why did you drain the bathwater?
Constable Clarkie: Out of common decency, sir.
Sherlock Holmes: Crime is common, logic is rare. The decent thing is to catch the killer, not provide comfort for the corpse.