It’s the 1920s in Northern China and prized student Qi Quan returns to their martial arts academy. He is there to participate in a formal duel, for leadership of the academy. He will fight Shen An, son of the academy’s ailing master. Qi wins the match and with their master's last breath he assumes leadership of the martial arts school. Shen is displeased with the outcome and will do whatever it takes to win back leadership at the school.
Internal and social politics complicate the matter, as do a father's wishes for his son to leave the martial arts world. Add to that growing love interests for both combatants and the rumor that there is a special skill that Qi Quan had not been taught by their master, the fourth short sword technique. One that could lead to his defeat at the rematch against Shen An in two weeks' time. If they can wait that long.
Xu Haofeng's latest martial arts masterpiece 100 Yards proves a number of things. First, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Classically structured martial arts cinema can still deliver the goods. The story is classic in its storytelling - if not a little bit hard to follow at first, which led to us questioning who we were supposed to be cheering for here. Regardless, a story about two combatants who feel they are entitled to leadership of the martial arts school and will do what it takes to win it is a tale that we have seen many variations of throughout the history of martial arts cinema.
This martial arts world is run by a series of rules. Among them and key to this tale is that you cannot duel in public and you have two weeks to prepare for your duel once you have been challenged. This is where QI Quan goes hunting for the rumored fourth short sword technique, meeting his love interest Gui Yung in the process. More on them a bit later. If Qi Quan and Shen An engage in any fighting it’s done out of sight of the public, who are hastily ushered away, paid off with fruit of all things. There appears to be rumblings among the elders as the pair fight for ownership of the academy and a pair of assassinations complicate matters as well.
100 Yards proves that it is the work of a master, that you can be a total martial arts nerd (read: scholar) and still possess the skills to create kick ass martial arts action movies. Xu's lifelong devotion to martial arts, its study and practice, shines through every frame in their movies, further cementing their reputation as a martial arts cinema god.
100 Yards is the work of many masters, including his own brother Junfeng, who co-directed the flick. It features exemplary martial arts action that was choreographed by Duncan Leung, a student of the great Ip Man. We also have to highlight Dao Shan’s brilliant camerawork. We loved how the camera moved around in this, like the fluidity of Scorcese’s roaming cameras in their work. It was beautifully shot as well, with artistic devotion on the level of any of Zhang Yimou’s works of art.
The martial arts is simply some of the best that we will ever see in our lifetime. Simple as that. It's fast and it's clear what is going on. It obeys something as simple as the 180° rule when shooting the action and the camera is mercifully held back so we can see every move and flourish. This gweilo believes that the duel featured Xingyiquan, an explosive close combat, because that duel was bare-fisted which is one of the methods of combat in that style.
And the climactic battle has so many disciplines on display as well. Going back to what we said about the classic style never goes out of style this climax is the classic set up. Now that you've mastered the fourth short sword technique you must prove that it can take on any other style. If you’ve come to 100 Yards looking for excellent martial arts action and you go away disappointed you must have had your eyes sewn shut before watching it. There is no way anyone can find fault in the action in this film. It’s impossible. It’s just that good.
Jacky Heung as Shen An and Andy On as Qi Quan are both excellent in their roles and rise to the occasion. But, we have to talk about the standout performance from Shiyi Tang as Qi Quan's love interest, Gui Yung. The graduate from Beijing Dance Academy - ah, you already see where we're going with this - and a professional Chinese Classical dancer simply kills it in one of the many excellent action scenes early on. It looks like they are following in the footsteps of contemporaries like Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi, trained dancers who deftly adapted to martial arts roles. She is definitely someone to keep an eye out for, if they do more action movies in the future. She was awesome.
Xu Haofeng’s upbringing in the world of martial arts, their reverence for the lifestyle and practice of it, means that they treat every project with about as much respect as any can. 100 Yards is a classic martial arts story at its core and around that Xu, their brother and the rest of the team have created a jaw-dropping martial arts masterpiece, rife with action, complicated by politics and love. Xu Haofeng is simply one of the best working in the field now, and ever will be.