Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

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Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

PG-13

Released Dec 16, 2011

2h 9m

Action

Adventure

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

60%

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227 Reviews

77%

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100,000+ Ratings

When Austria's crown prince is found dead, evidence seems to point to suicide. However, detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) deduces that the prince was murdered and that the crime is but a piece of a puzzle designed by an evil genius named Moriarty (Jared Harris). Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson (Jude Law), who are accompanied by a Gypsy (Noomi Rapace) whose life Holmes saved, chase Moriarty across Europe in the hope that they can thwart his plot before it can come to fruition.

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Critics Consensus

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a good yarn thanks to its well-matched leading men but overall stumbles duplicating the well-oiled thrills of the original.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Unlike the 2009 hit that preceded this one there's very little mystery to be found here, not much in the way of puzzles in need of being solved.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 27, 2012

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Bruce Diones

The New Yorker

It's complete trash and makes a mockery of Holmes's vaunted deductive reasoning.

Jan 16, 2012

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Leonard Maltin

IndieWire

The production is still needlessly overlong and overblown, a far cry from your father's (or even your cousin's) conception of the master detective. But it's certainly lively and has clever moments that involve Holmes' keen powers of observation...

Rated: 2.1/2

Dec 25, 2011

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Clint Leavitt

Loud and Clear Reviews

If one can set aside some of the deviations of these modern twists on the classic characters and simply pick up a bowl of popcorn instead, they’ll be pleased with the game that is afoot.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 24, 2025

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

When it’s all over, audiences may find the experience superficial and in no way reminiscent of Doyle’s stories, but for just over two hours, we’ve been happily diverted.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 6, 2023

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Unfortunately the uniqueness, humor, and charm of the first film are all but missing in the sequel.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 25, 2022

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Tyler S

Thought it was a slight upgrade from the first one. Did a great job at following the same principles, although it did well at sort of standing alone. I feel like you could watch this movie and still understand things without watching the first one. Not saying its a bad thing, but was pretty interesting. Solid watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/17/25

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Adam K

Please make more of these. So fun to watch

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

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BJ M

The great thing about the traditional Sherlock Homes is that he uses deductive reasoning to solve actual problems. There is no realism or deductive reasoning in this movie at all. Unrealistic, not mysterious, lacking in entertainment value. Why cast Rachel McAdams and then kill her off at the beginning of the film?

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/25

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Faiz D

A thrilling, action packed and thoroughly enjoyable entertainer. Both Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law are fantastic as always.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/29/24

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First name L

Less than mysterious, emotionally hollow someow? The cast gives their all but somehow this one is too dark and disjointed.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/10/24

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Rob F

Just as good as the first. Not sure why the critics had such a low opinion

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/24

Full Review

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Guy Ritchie

Director

Robert Downey Jr.

Sherlock Holmes

Jude Law

Dr. John Watson

Noomi Rapace

Madam Simza Heron

Rachel McAdams

Irene Adler

Jared Harris

Professor James Moriarty

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Synopsis

When Austria's crown prince is found dead, evidence seems to point to suicide. However, detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) deduces that the prince was murdered and that the crime is but a piece of a puzzle designed by an evil genius named Moriarty (Jared Harris). Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson (Jude Law), who are accompanied by a Gypsy (Noomi Rapace) whose life Holmes saved, chase Moriarty across Europe in the hope that they can thwart his plot before it can come to fruition.

Director: Guy Ritchie
Producer: Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey, Dan Lin
Screenwriter: Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney, Anthony Peckham
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Silver Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, Wigram Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Violence|Intense Sequences of Action|Some Drug Material)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 11, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $186.8M
Runtime: 2h 9m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital

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