Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Master sleuth returns in entertaining but violent adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Based on 54 kid reviews
Kids say the movie features an intense rivalry between Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty, complemented by strong performances from the lead actors and fast-paced action. Despite some complaints about excessive violence and a complicated plot, many viewers found it entertaining and a worthy sequel to the original, with clever humor and engaging visual effects.
- intense rivalry
- strong performances
- fast-paced action
- excessive violence
- clever humor
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, the world has gone mad. Bombs are going off in Strasbourg and Vienna, an American mogul has dropped dead, and a prince has committed suicide. The events may seem random, a cacophony of chaos. But as the intrepid and eccentric detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) soon discovers, there's a brilliant and masterful villain on the loose: Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris). And he's not just after power and wealth: He's after Holmes. He's also gunning for Holmes' right-hand man, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), who's just gotten married but may not be quite retired from sleuthing.
Is It Any Good?
How can this franchise not be entertaining with the talented Robert Downey Jr. playing a historically fascinating lead (and Law as a gutsy Watson)? Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows even looks entertaining: The tableau is drained of color, etched in charcoal, but still very stylized, which fits director Guy Ritchie's signature. He's assured another hit.
But is it great? Perhaps expectations are raised too high, but it feels like the bloom of the movie's specific visual and storytelling style is fading a bit. Ritchie's swift deconstruction of Holmes' thought process seem wasted on what-if situations instead of on actual detective work. And, yes, the bromance between Holmes and Watson is charming, but it's clear when Holmes faces Moriarty that the movie hungers for more of that type of confrontation. It's an iconic match-up, and it's too bad we don't spend much time with it and Holmes' other misadventures. Let the master detective detect!
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the new Sherlock Holmes movies' take on the famous detective compares to previous ones. Why do you think the filmmakers of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows decided to up the action and violence in these films?
Why does Watson put up with Holmes' shenanigans, especially when they interfere with his relationship to his betrothed?
How does this film handle its good-versus-evil theme? Are the good and bad sides always clearly defined? Is that important?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 16, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : June 12, 2012
- Cast : Jared Harris , Jude Law , Robert Downey Jr.
- Director : Guy Ritchie
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Book Characters , Friendship
- Run time : 129 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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