It doesn't take a master detective to spot problems in the new "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" -- they mirror the issues that turned the 2009 "Sherlock Holmes" into a muddled mess.
Robert Downey Jr. returns to the title role of Holmes, playing the character as part deranged, part methodical and part heroic. These pieces fit so poorly together that Downey still doesn't come across as the right man to play the most famous detective in murder mystery history.
The sequel also features Guy Ritchie's eye-popping direction that has more quick cuts than a barber. Ritchie is willing to sacrifice substance for style -- he rushes through the explanation of key plot points but stages fight scenes in plodding ultra slow motion.
The news is not all bad.
What makes the sequel better than the original is the inclusion of Holmes' chief nemesis Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) and the replacement of wimpish Rachel McAdams with the robust Noomi Rapace. Both characters are intriguing enough to help gloss over Ritchie's quirks.
Holmes and Watson are on a mission across Europe to stop a master plan by Moriarty that would start a global war. Their trip takes them on a series of adventures so challenging they would make James Bond proud.
Jude Law, cast in the role of Watson, continues to provide the look and dry humor needed to keep this tale close to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original vision. Harris brings a smug brilliance to the role of Moriarty that generates a genuine spark in the scenes in which he mentally spars with Holmes.
The film would have been better had Ritchie been confident enough in the script by Michele and Kieran Mulroney to occasionally opt for a little less frantic atmosphere.
Sherlock Holmes has historically relied on his incredible mental acuity. Ritchie continues to make the famous detective more of a pugilist than ponderer, which prevents the movie from being a first-rate thriller.
When the third film is made -- you know there will be a third film -- the fixes are elementary to make. Get back to what has made Holmes such an enduring character by being a little more intelligent in the presentation of the story.
TV and movie critic Rick Bentley can be reached at rbentley@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6355.