100 Yards
Directed by Haofeng Xu and Junfeng Xu
Written by Haofeng Xu
Starring: Jacky Hueng, Bea Hayden Kuo, Andy On
Unrated
Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes
In theaters now
by Heidi Krull, Staff Writer
For decades, martial arts films have been ever prominent in film culture. 100 Yards, directed by brothers Haofeng Xu and Junfeng Xu, features a plethora of exciting fight scenes while also exploring the history of China and how martial arts progressed.
100 Yards opens in 1920s Tianjin, a decade after the first martial arts school opened in the area. Those in the martial arts community became important in protecting the community against petty crimes, but as their influence progressed, intense power struggles commenced. The film primarily features one specific martial arts circle and its star pupil, Shen An (Jacky Hueng), but as he continues to learn different fighting styles, the master of his circle is murdered in cold blood. This crime causes a butterfly effect that eventually leads up to a standoff between Shen An and Qi Quan (Andy On), and the two test each other's limits throughout the film to see who will finally be on top. However, with each of their circles having strict rules around when fights happen and where, Shen An and Qi Quan frequently dance on the line of going too far.
There was a lot to love about 100 Yards, namely its aesthetics and fight choreography. I thoroughly enjoyed the mafia vibe that radiated off of the film’s coloring and costumes, and thought that these two things made more dynamic. This is especially effective during fight scenes, as the greyish, dim coloring adds an extra layer of intensity. The specific costuming choices also brought an interesting feeling of ruggedness to each scene and fight. Each character was dressed modestly, but also conveniently, as most of them were often fighting for their lives.
The soundtrack reinforced the realism the film is going for by sometimes forcing the audience to sit in silence with what was occurring on screen. There were multiple points in which fervent brawls were happening, but no music was playing behind them, making each fight just that much more realistic and fast-paced. The actual choreography of each fight was also stunning. It was clear that the entire cast worked ardently to achieve this effect, and they made deadly situations seem easy.
The way the film delivered information about its characters often left me a bit lost. Characters often discuss their individual histories and other personal matters, but the writing would leave me in the dark about why they were interacting in the first place. I found this especially apparent between Shen An and Xia An (Bea Hayden Kuo). The two clearly have a history, but as her entrance was quite sudden, I felt like their dynamic was not fully fleshed out and their chemistry was off. The plot as a whole also felt a bit choppy and unfinished. Toward the end of the film, there is an epic duel between Shen An and Qi Quan (which was wonderful on its own), but it does not feel paid off with the way the ending went. I applaud the directors’ ability to create a realistic 1920s aesthetic to draw their audiences in, but 100 Yards’s plot and ending could have used a bit more polish.
Despite the few faults I found in this film, I thought the subversion of classical fighting movies being based around men was quite compelling. The focus was primarily on Shen An and Qi Quan and their inevitable face-off, but Xia An also had a few shining moments that stood out to me. At the beginning of 100 Yards, Xia An is caught off guard by a large group of men (those in Qi Quan’s circle), and handily takes most of them out with her incredible kung fu skills, all the while having just woken up. I thought this tied in well with the aesthetic the filmmakers were going for. The 1920s is known for (partial) liberation of women, and though women were not included in many assets of society yet, they were always part of the fight. The inclusion of multiple badass women helped me connect with the film more personally, and showed viewers that women can fight just as well, if not better, than men can.
