Harrison Pauer

Professor Linda Haas

Writing 39B
8 June 2014

Thesis:
Guy Ritchie has transformed Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes series to the big
screen; however, this transformation eliminated Watsons role as a narrator. In order to
compensate for this hole created in Watsons character, Ritchie has improved Watson to
the point where Watson is now Holmes partner instead of his sidekick.

Paragraph:
In the second film, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are trying to stop the
worlds most dangerous man, Professor James Moriarty, and in order to increase the
intensity of the movie, Guy Ritchie, director of Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadow,
has improved all of his characters including Watson. Movie critic, Roger Ebert believes
that Watson has improved to the point where he now can be considered a hero. (1).
Ritchie has increased Watsons marksmanship, intelligence, and his level of deduction to
point that could match Sherlock Holmes. About one hour and forty-five minutes into the
movie, which happens to be the climax of the film, we see the peak of Watsons
deduction powers. The scene begins with Watson and Holmes trying to find Moriartys
planted assassin, who is also Madam Herons brother. The first is a backwards tracking
shot filmed at a medium shot camera angle, which is suppose to show Watson observing
the crowd. The beginning of this scene has no music in it which helps increase the
suspense of finding the assassin. The next shot is filmed at a medium shot and it is of
Watson and Madam Heron, and during this shot, there is a slight ticking sound that
signifies the countdown to the assassination attempt. In this shot, Madam Heron tells
Watson that she does not know which man is her brother, so Watson begins to observe
the crowd to make his own deductions. This shot is followed by a pan shot followed by
quick jump shots from ambassador to ambassador, which represents Watsons
perspective. While these shots are jumping from ambassador to ambassador, Holmes is
narrating the deductions Watson is making, which represents that Watson and Holmes
now have the same power of deduction. The next shot is a close-up shot of Madam
Heron followed by a pan shot of the ambassadors, and this shot is suppose to represent
Watson listening to Madam Heron followed by his observation of the crowd with the new
information Madam Heron gave him. During the next few shots, there is a violin that
gets slightly louder with each passing second to intensify the scene, and the remaining
shots are reverse shots between Holmes, Moriarty, Watson, Madam Heron, and Watsons
perspective. The next few shots go from mediums shots to close-up shots and finally
extreme clos-up shots, which help increase the suspense of finding the assassin in time.
These sequences of shots are very chaotic and fast-paced, which also increases the
suspense. As these shots are being made, Holmes is narrating Watsons thoughts, once
again, proving that Watson has finally reached Holmes level of deduction. Finally, when
Watson believes he has found the assassin, the scene changes from reverse shots to slow
reverse pan shots; these slow shots represent time slowing down. These slow shots are a
technique used in film industry to create suspense for the audience by simulating the
fight or flight reaction that humans get in serious situations. Then time speeds backup
with a loud thud, and a violin begins to play a very sharp note that drives the suspense
even further. Then the assassin suddenly pulls out a gun, but Watson is faster. Watson is
able to stop the assassin and foil Moriartys plans.