QIs the waterfall in the movie supposed to be Reichenbach Falls?
AEarly in the film, Mycroft mentions, in a quiet tone, something along the lines of 'hoping this business gets done before the peace summit up in Reichenbach,' more than likely so as to be subtle enough that people familiar with Sherlock Holmes' novels would catch it. When Conan Doyle grew tired of writing about Sherlock, he had him fall, with Professor Moriarty, at Reichenbach. In this film, the party is going to Reichenbach, and the two fall once more. Public demand for more stories forced the good doctor to write (as Dr. Watson) again, explaining how Holmes had not died but returned to life. In "The Adventure of the Empty House," the Conan Doyle story where Holmes returns "from the dead" (after THREE years away without telling Watson where he was), Holmes explains that he actually did NOT go over the falls with Moriarty - he pushed Moriarty over but did not fall himself. Instead, he clung to a ledge while someone (revealed to be Col. Sebastian Moran) heaved rocks at him, and then he escaped -- whereupon he goes on his famous travels to Asia, France, etc. The movie alters this story, as clearly both Holmes and Moriarty go off the balcony and fall down the frightening Reichenbach falls. Holmes, however, does not seem injured by the fall and avoids drowning by using Mycroft's oxygen inhaler device.
QIs "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" based on a book?
AEven if there are many similarities with Conan Doyle's books, we could assume the new Sherlock Holmes movie follows its own lead. But we should also notice that in the original story, in which Holmes encounters Moriarty personally, there is also an appearance of Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's older brother. The whole story in the books takes place basically in Switzerland and London. It is mentioned that Guy Ritchie examined carefully "The Final Problem" and "The Adventure of the Empty House" in order to stay as close as possible to the original story.
QDuring the last part of the escape in Heilbronn, when Holmes and Watson physically overpower the German soldiers, I got a little lost. Who does what?
AAfter the soldiers fire "Little Hansel" (an artillery cannon that apparently fires individual shots that can rip apart trees), Holmes, Watson, and Simza are knocked to the ground by the shockwave of the blast. Holmes and Watson get up seeing the soldiers approaching. Though a little confusing because the fight happens in a matter of seconds, this is what is seen: (1) Watson grabs one soldier's rifle and twists it, throwing its owner over, (2) Holmes trades punches with another soldier using his good hand, (3) Simza knocks aside another soldier, (4) a fourth soldier swings his rifle at Holmes, who kicks him in the chest, (5) a soldier brains Simza with the butt of his rifle, knocking her down; as he aims his rifle, Watson shoots and kills him with a pistol, (6) Holmes knocks out another soldier as another cannonball hits nearby, forcing him to grab onto a nearby tree, (7) another soldier advances on Holmes, who successfully dodges a shot fired at point-blank range (missing and hitting the tree instead); Holmes grabs the soldier's rifle, ejects the round, and knocks him out then chambers a new round in a matter of seconds, passes the rifle to Watson, who shoots and wounds Moran as Moran crests a rise, and (8) as the party escapes on the train, Moran comes to his senses, steadies his breathing, aims his rifle, and picks off the unlucky gypsy bringing up the back of the escapees.
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