Sherlock Holmes fight scenes

[stancheung75]

I had a really good time watching the Sherlock Holmes movie on Christmas night. The story and action was very good. The chemistry between R.D.Jr and Jude Law was awesome.

But what really got to me was the fight scenes in the movie. I'm always a sucker for a good fight scene. It's very obvious that R.D.Jr had worked hard on his Wing Chun to get ready for the role. I know that A.C. Doyal made Holmes a practicioner of Bartitsu (http://www.bartitsu.org/index.php/2009/12/bartitsu-the-sherlock-holmes-martial-art/). But the W.C. looked very good here.

What I really like about the fight scenes was that he narrated what he was going to do and the effects that the technique would have on his opponent. I've only seen that done before in comic books. But I like how it made you feel like you're part of the fight since you're with them in their thought process.

Since I really don't want to spoil any part of the movie to people who haven't seen it yet. I'm going to use a comic book sequence from the book Fist Law by Jeff Palmer a very talented artist and Kenpo Karate instructor to sort of illustrate what I mean. He would illustrate Kenpo techniques in a fight and would narrate the target and damage that it causes.
1 (http://kenpocomics.com/Issue_1_Page_9.htm)
2 (http://kenpocomics.com/Issue_1_Page_10.htm)
3 (http://kenpocomics.com/Issue_1_Page_11.htm)
4 (http://kenpocomics.com/Issue_1_Page_12.htm)
5 (http://kenpocomics.com/Issue_1_Page_13.htm)

I'm very partial to choreagraphy in movie fight scenes having each movement make sense. I think that this movie did that very well.

[Mindas Arran]

Haven't seen the movie, so I can't comment on it. We've got a weekend to spare though, so maybe we will get a chance to see it soon.

The comics however... it's unrealistic to think that you're going to be able to chain 6-8 techniques together one right after the other and the guy not move, resist, or otherwise defend himself. It's only a comic, so perhaps it's purposeful in it's exaggeration.

[RyuJin]

wing chun always looks good on film because of its flowing and circular movements. linear styles are always too abrupt and thus less exciting to watch...when i was studying shuri-te our instructor would explain to us how the body would typically react to each technique...the theory is that if you know how a body reacts when hit a certain way you can then predict where to strike next thus increase the number of successful hits with minimal effort...as for me i'm more of a read and react type since things rarely ever go as expected and my reflexes are pretty good....that and i expect to get hit so i trained myself to be able to take a few good shots...the key being a few...not a lot...

[stancheung75]

The comics however... it's unrealistic to think that you're going to be able to chain 6-8 techniques together one right after the other and the guy not move, resist, or otherwise defend himself. It's only a comic, so perhaps it's purposeful in it's exaggeration.

Here's something to look at if you want to see some realistic fighting where they resist counter attack and defend themselves. :sFi_slapfight:

:D

Have fun at the movies