Sherlock Holmes

We have your first look at the trailer for Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes film due in theaters Christmas Day this year. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and Rachel McAdams this version of the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character definitely has that Ritchie flair to it (the bare knuckle boxing angle called bartitsu, comic dialogue, etc…). It’s quite clear that along with the use of this martial art bartitsu and the general action-oriented tone of the film, the filmmakers are looking to take Holmes well beyond being a mere crime solver to turn him into a crime fighter. Given the popularity of comic book heroes at the box office it’s a smart way to repackage an old franchise for a new audience.

Bartitsu – In the film Homes employs a martial art system called bartitsu, also known as the “gentlemanly art of self defense,” that originates in England and was developed between the years 1898 and 1902. It is referenced by Doyle in one of his Sherlock Holmes books.