Robert Downey jnr has certainly tasted some of the high and lows that Hollywood can deliver.
Although his name has been box-office gold with Iron Man, the first Sherlock Holmes and The Avengers, Downey has spent time in jail and has a drug rehab history.
It seems the worstis now behind him and his star is shining bright at the moment.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is another Downey masterclass. Set in 1891, super sleuth Sherlock Holmes enlists the assistance of his sidekick, Dr John Watson (Jude Law), one last time to help him defeat the evil power and reach of Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris).
Not only is Moriarty one of the foremost brains of his era, he is also well connected in the corridors of power.
That allows him to conduct and build his evil empire without hindrance.
With terrorist bombings raising tensions in France and Germany, Holmes knows the continent is being pushed towards war unless he can discover what is behind the explosions and stop them.
A mysterious Gypsy woman, whom the assassins are seeking, may hold the key to what Moriarty is ultimately up to.