100 YARDS (2024) Is A Spectacular Martial Arts Romp. 100 Yards (2024) is a 1920's Chinese period, martial arts action film starring Jacky Hueng and Andy On as two rival successors to the leadership of a martial arts clan. The conflict of the story is heightened by the fact that the hand picker successor to the school is not the son of the deceased Leader, but his top student. This snub sets the Leader's son on a mission to reclaim his birthright.
Andy On, star of Blind War (2024), is very good in the lead roll; as is Jacky Heung in the role of the embittered heir. The do a great job of captivating their relative times on screen and creating a bit off ambivalence for the viewer as to whom they should route for. The entire cast of animated characters is very watchable in this.
The film is well scripted and extremely well Directed by Xu Haofeng. The film takes place, as the title may suggest, in a relatively small corner of China; however, that is never a limiting factor to the unique and interesting dynamics that the location plays in the story.
The film's story execution tackles, subtly, issues of traditionalism in the martial arts and society, the impact of Westerners in China during the period, and the desire for autonomous governance of a small sect amidst the Society at large. I found the last theme to be unusual for a film whose industry is so deeply tied to the Chinese Government, and so often, not so subtly, presses themes of Nationalism and love of China. However, the filmmakers do this very well. These concepts are part of the fabric of the story, and not an awkward aside.
This film's strength rests in its terrifically well choreographed, and well filmed, martial arts fight scenes. There are many of them, and they are all good. The film not only uses bare handed techniques throughout the film, but some amazing and unusual weapons scenes that are unique and remarkably fun to watch. The fight choreography and execution here does not rely on high wire acts and fancy feats of acrobatics, which I am not, personally, a big fan of. The fights here are grittier, and more realistic in their execution. The use of weapons is masterful. Despite many weapons being used, the film's violence never rises to the level of making it unsuitable for most members of the viewing family.
I recommend 100YARDS highly. See it on the BIG SCREEN, if you have the chance. The fight scenes and cinematography lend themselves to added enjoyment in theater. Even if the film wasn't so good in all aspects, it would still be worthwhile for the fight scenes, alone.
