SHERLOCK: THE GREAT GAME

UK, 2010, 90 minutes, Colour.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Rupert Graves, Una Stubbs, Zoe Telford, Andrew Scott, Mark Gattis.
Directed by Paul McGuigan?.

The Great Game is the final episode in the second series of Sherlock, the updated series with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson. Rupert Graves appears as Detective Lestrade. Una Stubbs is Mrs Hudson.

The film introduces Jim Moriarty, quite casually. He is played by Andrew Scott (Anton Chekhov’s The Duel) and reappears at the end, confronting Holmes – and suggesting stories for the next series.

This film begins with a request from Mycroft Holmes (played by the series creator, Mark Gattis) to solve a case for the Foreign Office. Holmes is envious of his brother and feigns disinterest. However, he does solve the case. In the meantime, a madman keeps contacting Holmes after tying bombs to innocent victims and suggesting that they will explode within a limited number of hours if Holmes doesn’t solve a case. There are five of these cases – which he solves, sometimes with split-second timing.

1. The Belarus case? Holmes interviewing the criminal? His deciding not to take the case? Returning to Baker Street, bored, shooting at the wall? His workaholic depression?

2. Watson, his criticisms of Holmes? His own relationship with Sarah, a home life?

3. Mycroft Holmes and his personality, coming to his brother, suggesting a case? The espionage risk? The dead body? The missing USB? Holmes and his indicating a lack of interest? Watson’s reaction? Mycroft texting Sherlock during the investigation? Finally asking for Watson’s help to urge Holmes on?

4. The visit to the morgue, Molly, her hair? Jim the assistant? Holmes’ comment on his being gay? His bluntness, Molly’s being upset? The irony of this being Moriarty – and his discussion with Holmes at the end, his impersonation of a gay man? Moriarty, his age, youth? The challenge to Holmes?

5. The calls, the challenge for the victims tied to bombs? The five pips on the phone? The deadlines, the visuals of the hours passing? The IT communication, the victims reading Moriarty’s lines? Not being able to deviate – the person who did, killed?

6. Holmes and his being energised, getting Watson to help? His compassion for the people tied to the bombs – men, in public, old lady, child? Their desperation?

7. Mycroft’s case: the body found on the railway tracks? The missing USB? The visit to the victim’s girlfriend, the flashbacks, her brother and his assertiveness? The breaking into the flat, Holmes realising that the brother had killed the victim? The re-enactment of the accident, taking him, putting him on the carriage, the points and the body falling on the tracks? The drug background?

8. The boy at school, the swimmer, the clash with Holmes? The footwear – the analysis? The poison in the shoes? The discovery of the shoes?

9. The wife, the agent, the discussions with Holmes, the bloodstains on the car? The disappearance of the husband? Holmes’ harsh interrogation of the wife? The agent and his having cash from Colombia? The husband relocated?

10. The art gallery, the forgery? Watson’s criticism of Holmes as not knowing his basic astronomy? Writing it up in the blog – and everybody reading the blog? Holmes and the information from the astronomer, proving the painting was a forgery, the false detail in the painting? Holmes and the confrontation with the curator, her confession of the truth?

11. The finale, the pool, Watson and the bombs attached? Moriarty’s appearance?

12. The TV personality, the news of her death? The visit to the house, the jealous brother, the attendant? The realisation that the attendant committed the murder?

13. The building up of Holmes’ abilities, the introduction of Moriarty – and the challenge for the future?