Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
There is a new criminal mastermind at large (Professor Moriarty) and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil and lack of conscience may give him an advantage over the detective.
Richard reviewed
November 9, 2025•
Guy Ritchie cranks the dial to eleven in this sequel, more fights, more flair and a villain who actually matches Holmes blow for blow. Robert Downey Jr. returns with manic brilliance, Jude Law’s Watson is still the perfect foil and Jared Harris as Moriarty? Chilling, calculating and quietly lethal.
The plot zips across Europe like a steampunk Bond film, train chases, ballroom espionage and a chess match that doubles as psychological warfare.
The editing is frenetic, the slow-mo deductions are pure Ritchie and the chemistry? Still electric.
It’s a superior sequel in many ways, bolder, darker and more confident.
But the real mystery? Why we never got part three. The setup was there. The fans were ready. And yet… silence.
Still, Game of Shadows stands tall. A stylish, swaggering follow-up that deserved a final act.