Tag: Robert Downey Jr.

Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows

2011   Warner Bros. Pictures

Rated:  PG-13

Length:  2 hr  9min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Mystery ~ Crime Thriller

Directed by:  Guy Ritchie

Starring:  Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams, Jared Harris, Kelly Reilly and Eddie Marsan.

It’s A Game, A Shadowy Game. Winner Takes All.

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) is back in 1891 London, but this time his brilliant mind is battling the world’s most dangerous criminal mastermind, Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris). A string of bombings and assassinations have Europe on the brink of war, and Holmes discovers that Moriarty—a respected mathematics professor by day—is secretly orchestrating chaos to profit from the coming global conflict. Meanwhile, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) is preparing for a peaceful married life with Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), though Holmes quickly pulls him into another case that’s anything but calm.

Their hunt leads them to Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace), a tough and resourceful Romani fortune-teller whose missing brother may hold the key to Moriarty’s plan. Chased by assassins through Paris, forests, and mountain fortresses, the trio uncovers a conspiracy blending science, greed, and warfare. Holmes realizes that Moriarty is buying up weapons factories and newspaper syndicates, building an empire that would make him richer the more nations fight each other.

The cat-and-mouse game comes to a head across Europe, culminating in a breathtaking train ambush, a massive forest gunfight, and a journey to Switzerland. With Watson and Simza trying to stop an assassination that could start a world war, Holmes faces Moriarty in person at a peace summit high above Reichenbach Falls. The two men, mirror images of intellect and obsession, engage in a game of chess that turns literal when their psychological duel becomes a physical one.

In a heroic final act, Holmes sacrifices himself to take Moriarty down, leaping with him into the roaring waterfall below. Watson, heartbroken, writes the final entry in his memoir, believing Holmes dead, before a small clue reveals that perhaps the great detective isn’t gone after all.

Noomi Rapace makes a memorable impression in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, bringing depth and intrigue to her role as Madam Simza Heron, a Romani fortune-teller drawn into Holmes and Watson’s cross-continental investigation. Though Rachel McAdams briefly returns for a cameo as Irene Adler, Rapace shines as the primary female lead, adding a bold, resourceful energy that perfectly complements the film’s tension and adventurous spirit.​

Rapace’s Simza is far from a passive bystander, she’s key to the unraveling of Moriarty’s deadly plot, navigating both personal stakes and international danger. Her performance stands out alongside Downey Jr. and Law, blending sharp instincts with emotional vulnerability. Fans of Rachel McAdams may miss the dynamic of Holmes and Adler, but Rapace fills the void with her own unique charisma, making Game of Shadows a worthy sequel that introduces an unforgettable new character to the Holmes universe.

A Game of Shadows takes everything that made the first film so enjoyable, quick wit, clever deductions, and stylish fights, and expands it into something more epic. The chemistry between Downey Jr. and Law is effortless, balancing humor with the deep loyalty that defines their partnership. Director Guy Ritchie creates a kinetic, modern feel while staying rooted in Victoriana, using slow-motion fight choreography and rapid editing that make every deduction feel like both a scientific equation and a bar brawl. The dialogue snaps with playful banter, yet under the surface runs a compelling melancholy about genius, sacrifice, and war.

What makes this sequel stand out is the way it deepens its characters and stakes. Moriarty, played with chilling elegance by Jared Harris, gives Holmes a true intellectual equal, turning the detective’s usual confidence into desperation. The cinematography and Hans Zimmer’s striking score turn Europe’s industrial revolution into a thunderous backdrop for their duel of minds. It’s not just a crime film, it’s a Victorian-era spy thriller where deduction becomes destiny. Like the first movie, it’s smart, fast, and endlessly rewatchable, proving that beneath all the explosions and humor lies a story about friendship, courage, and the high price of brilliance.

Make some popcorn,

Grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie!

Currently on NETFLIX.

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

2009   Warner Bros. Pictures

Rated:  PG-13

Length:  2 hr  8min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Mystery ~ Crime Thriller

Directed by:   Guy Ritchie

Starring:  Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly, and Eddie Marsan.

Nothing Escapes Him!

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his partner Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) are drawn into a dark case when they prevent the ritualistic murder of a woman by Lord Henry Blackwood (Mark Strong), a nobleman with deadly secrets who claims to possess supernatural powers. Blackwood is arrested and sentenced to death, but before his execution, he ominously warns Holmes that three more deaths will follow. Meanwhile, Watson’s life is changing as he plans to marry Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), a governess, which begins to strain his partnership with Holmes.

After Blackwood’s execution, strange events begin to unfold, including the discovery of Blackwood’s broken tomb containing the body of Luke Reordan. Holmes investigates Reordan’s secret laboratory and uncovers experiments blending science with mysticism. Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), a cunning and independent thief known as the only woman to have outwitted Holmes before, re-enters his life seeking help to find Reordan and entangles Holmes in a complex conspiracy, all while hinting at deeper connections with Holmes’s enigmatic adversary, Professor Moriarty.

As Holmes digs deeper, he is introduced to the secretive Temple of the Four Orders, a powerful magical society with ties to Blackwood’s plan to overthrow the British government by releasing deadly cyanide gas into Parliament. Holmes, Watson, and Adler work together to thwart the plot, using Holmes’s brilliant deductive skills and combat prowess to navigate deadly traps and political intrigue. Watson struggles to balance his budding family life with continuing to support Holmes through the dangerous case.

The film concludes with a tense confrontation atop the unfinished Tower Bridge, where Holmes reveals that Blackwood’s supernatural feats were a mix of science and deception. Holmes saves Adler, who warns him of Moriarty’s greater threat, perfectly setting up a sequel. Kelly Reilly’s Mary brings a grounding emotional layer as Watson’s fiancée, representing his desire for normalcy, while Rachel McAdams’s Adler adds complexity as a fierce, independent ally entwined with Holmes’s life and work. This blend of mystery, action, and character dynamics defines this energetic, modern take on Sherlock Holmes.

Growing up, I was captivated by the Sherlock Holmes stories, losing myself in the clever mysteries and the sharp wit of the great detective. Seeing these tales brought to life on the big screen was a thrilling experience the first time I saw this movie and even more so every time I watch it. Robert Downey Jr. perfectly captures Holmes’s brilliance and quirky charm, while Jude Law’s Watson gives us a grounded, loyal counterpart that felt true to the originals. Watching their chemistry and the dynamic storytelling unfold reminded me why I fell in love with these characters in the first place, now infused with exciting action and cinematic flair.

For me, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes bridges nostalgia and fresh excitement, letting me experience Holmes’s world in a whole new way. The film’s atmospheric settings, clever plot twists, and rich character moments turned my childhood readings into a vivid, immersive adventure. It’s a unique joy to revisit those timeless stories through such a modern lens, and it reinforced for me how enduring and captivating Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creations remain, decades after I first opened those classic books.

Sherlock Holmes is a classic movie that brilliantly honors the timeless works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It captures the spirit of his iconic detective through a perfect blend of period authenticity and modern cinematic energy, bringing Holmes’s sharp intellect and thrilling adventures vividly to life on the big screen. And now for the sequel Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows, tonight’s movie for Streaming Movie Night and tomorrow’s Movie Review! SO if you haven’t seen Sherlock Holmes I highly Recommend it, and if you have, Watch it again!

Make some popcorn,

Grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie!

Currently on NETFLIX.

Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows

Oppenheimer

2023   Universal Pictures

Rated:  R

Length:  3 hr

Biography ~ Drama ~ History ~ True Story

Directed by:  Christopher Nolan

Starring:  Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Jason Clarke and Kenneth Branagh.

“Prometheus stole fire from the Gods and gave it to man. For this he was chained to a rock and tortured for eternity.”

Cillian Murphy stars as J. Robert Oppenheimer, a Theoretical Physicist in charge of The Los Alamos project and one of the pioneers of the first atomic bombs built during World War II. It follows his life and education leading up to chairing the project to create the world’s first atomic bomb, and his life and career following the first Atomic bomb test. It also chronicles his personal battles dealing with the responsibility of being the man that changed the world with an atomic weapon, and his guilt that he may have ultimately laid the foundation for the destruction of our world.

The movie starts with the 1954 security hearing orchestrated by The Atomic Energy Chairman Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr). It was a kangaroo court orchestrated by Strauss with the express purpose of destroying Oppenheimer’s reputation and credibility, mainly due to Strauss’s jealousy and paranoia regarding Oppenheimer. There is a scene where Oppenheimer is having a conversation with Albert Einstein within eyeshot of Strauss, and Strauss is convinced that Oppenheimer is bad mouthing him to Einstein. But in reality Oppenheimer was discussing with Einstein his fear that in creating the atomic bomb he might have started a chain reaction that could destroy the world.

The movie centers on the 1954 hearing and the 1959 Senate Confirmation Hearing for Strauss where it is revealed how Strauss tried to undermine Oppenheimer and his work. It flashes back and forth between the hearings and the events in Oppenheimer’s life that led up to the first atomic bomb test (which is quite impressively depicted in the movie), and the events after as he grapples with the fallout personal guilt he has. There are a lot of stories going on here and it can be a little difficult to understand and follow. Especially as it flashes back and forth to different times and events, some being in black and white.

One of the main stories of this movie is the power struggle between Oppenheimer and Strauss as Strauss seeks to undermine his influence with the Atomic Energy Commission. Christopher Nolan, the director, uses color and black and white to differentiate between the two men. The Black and white scenes are used to show Strauss’s point of view and thinking, while color was used to represent Oppenheimer’s. That alone is a fascinating viewing if you know that and view the movie with that knowledge.

There is a lot of star power in this movie:

  • Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer
  • Emily Blunt as Oppenheimer’s Wife kitty
  • Robert Downey Jr. as Atomic Energy Chairman Lewis Strauss
  • Matt Damon as US Army Colonel Leslie Groves who oversaw The Los Alamos Project
  • Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, a psychiatrist, Communist Party USA member, and Robert Oppenheimer’s romantic interest
  • Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, a Nobel-winning nuclear physicist who worked with Oppenheimer at the University of California, Berkeley
  • Casey Affleck as Boris Pash, a US Army military intelligence officer and commander of the Alsos Mission
  • Kenneth Branagh as as Niels Bohr, a Nobel-winning Danish physicist, philosopher and Oppenheimer’s personal idol
  • Rami Malek as David L. Hill, a nuclear physicist at the Metallurgical Laboratory.
  • Jason Clarke as Roger Robb, an attorney and future US circuit judge who served as special counsel to the AEC at Oppenheimer’s security hearing.

It is a fascinating look at the man and his accomplishments, his relationships and his guilt at having orchestrated the potential demise of the world. I’ve watched it three times mainly because it took two to fully understand all the stories going on, and then a third to appreciate it with the knowledge and understanding of everything going on. It is well acted by everyone involved, and the cinematography is outstanding.

Some fun facts:

  • It grossed over 976 million worldwide, the third highest of 2023
  • It won 7 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best supporting Actor, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography and Best original Score
  • And 5 Golden Globe Awards
  • And 7 British Academy Awards
  • And was named one of the top ten films of 2023 by the American Film Institute

An excellent movie obviously but it is a long one coming in at three hours.

But it is a fascinating three hours.

Two Thumbs Up!!