In Guy Ritchie’s second Sherlock Holmes adventure, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law return to their bantering, boisterous best as Holmes and Watson. In their first film together, Sherlock Holmes, they came up against the apparent dark magic of Lord Blackwood, played by Mark Strong. However, this time everything is on a much larger scale as they are up against the mighty intellect of the eccentric detective’s nemesis, James Moriarty, played by Mad Men‘s Jared Harris. They are briefly rejoined by Rachel McAdams, however there is a new addition in the form of Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, known for her role in the 2009 Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

First of all, Robert Downey Jr. is awesome yet again, giving us a Holmes that is just as brilliant and perceptive as he always has been, but with that action twist that we saw in his first outing as the detective. It is refreshing to see such a well-loved character updated to appeal to a modern audience. Downey Jr. plays the eccentric sleuth with the perfect mixture of brilliance and manic tendencies that made Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character famous in the first place. However, he also adds in his own elements to create a character who can be appreciated in the context of these two films alone.

The homoerotic undercurrents of Holmes’ relationship with Dr. Watson are highlighted here even more than they were in the first one. There are a few scenes involving Holmes, the master of disguise, dressed as a woman that bring the comedy to its peak with lines like “lie with me Watson”. Their chemistry is hilariously funny and although it may be slightly too overt for a typical Holmes film, when you’ve got a Holmes who’s a martial-arts expert, this was never going to have the classic feel of the oldies. Jude Law plays Watson again, a role he manages to pull off well through the clever use of a magnificent moustache and a fantastic array of hats.

Although Rachel McAdams has a small part, the female lead is suitably filled by Noomi Rapace. She plays the mysterious, fortune-telling gypsy Madam Simza Heron, who joins forces with Holmes and Watson when it is revealed that not is all as it seems where her brother is concerned. She gives a bad-ass performance as a woman who can handle herself and she makes a great companion for the two men.

Their ultimate goal is to bring down Professor Moriarty, who has an ominous plan that must be stopped. Jared Harris gives a convincingly evil performance as Moriarty, the only person in the world with a hope of equalling the brilliance of Holmes’ mind, or his borderline insanity. The two men have immensely tense scenes together, culminating in a spectacular finale at a waterfall, which readers of the books will remember.

Oh yes, and Stephen Fry plays Holmes’ brother Mycroft. Fry’s character provides a place of refuge for Watson’s new wife, played by Kelly Reilly, while her husband is off gallivanting and fighting bad-guys. However, his character contributes little to the main plot and tends to feel a little superfluous. He does provide us with a good few laughs though and if you can add that into a film, then why not?

Guy Ritchie has directed this film in his typical gritty-but-slick way, and his trademark slow-motion action sequences are spectacular. Compared with his first Holmes film, there is much more of this technique and it can slow down the action just a bit too much. However, no-one can deny that it an interesting new perspective on the action – very rarely do you get to watch a bullet shoot through a tree, splintering it into pieces before your eyes.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is shot on a much larger scale than Sherlock Holmes. Everything from the comedy to the slo-mo is enhanced and it is no longer set in London. This is a Holmes film of larger ambitions – the detectives travel further afield to France, Germany and Switzerland – most of which it fulfils.

Fry made the announcement on Radio 5 Live over the weekend, saying that he will take on the part of Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother. He seemed excited about taking on the role, reportedly commenting that “to play a genuine all round sort of lead figure with complexity and tragedy and wit and all the sort of things that Oscar [Wilde] had was a once in a lifetime thrill”.

Mycroft Holmes is a character whose detective ability is said to exceed even that of his famous younger brother, yet he is constantly hindered by his own laziness and lack of practicality. The character has previously been portrayed by a variety of actors, ranging from the likes of Robert Morely to Richard E. Grant and, most recently,  Mark Gatiss in the BBC television adaptation, Sherlock.

Ritchie’s sequel will also feature Noomi Rapace, who is best know for her roles as Lisbeth Salander in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. Reprising their previous roles as Sherlock, Watson and Mrs Hudson, are Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Geraldine James, who have all been confirmed to make a return.

Fry seems to be an excellent casting choice for the character, but with this film not due to be released until December 2011, we’ve got a long wait to find out!

“Initially when I heard I was cast in the movie, I was disgusted,” he told Entertainment Tonight. However, he added that when he saw some of the daily footage, he though ‘This kid’s still got it!”

See if you agree with him…

As for me, I think Ritchie might have his first hit since 1998′s Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

“Guy has been on the case with the idea of making a musical recently. He had been throwing ideas around with Jason Statham about writing their own musical,” a source told The Sun. “Guy has had a lot of meetings with top studio bosses about other projects but the Guys And Dolls idea really tickled him. He is torn between keeping the script true to the original in New York and taking it to familiar surroundings in London.”

Hmmm, maybe it won’t be such a break from his usual formula anyway then.Well, at least after their divorce we don’t have to contend with Madonna getting her leotard out for this one…

Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes

“I actually petitioned the court and said, ‘This is a PG-13 movie. Let’s just refer to these peripherally.’ So at one point, Watson says, ‘What are you doing, that’s for eye surgery’,” he told MTV.

We’ve got to wait more six months for the release, but there’s already talk of a sequel – from Rob anyway; “I feel like there’s going to be a Sherlock Holmes 2,” he added in his interview. We’ll just have to see, but I’m sure Guy is crossing his fingers – he could do with a hit. At least without out ex Madge cast in a role, he’s in with a bit more of a chance.