Maxance Vincent
What better way to close off my in-person viewings at the Fantasia International Film Festival than with a martial arts film? As described by programmer Matthew Kiernan at the beginning of last week during the Canadian premiere of Yugo Sakamoto’s Baby Assassins: Nice Days, it was “Asian Action Week” at Fantasia. It’s an unofficial term, but it was truly an embarrassment of riches for Asian action fans, with Sakamoto’s film, Stanley Tong’s A Legend, Heo Myeong-hang’s The Roundup: Punishment and Soi Cheang’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In playing throughout the week.
Closing out the unofficial “Asian Action Week” was Haofeng Xu and Junfeng Xu’s 100 Yards, a no-holds-barred martial arts spectacle that promised action on the same level as Lau Kar-leung (through the words of programmer King-Wei Chu, who introduced the film. And while it certainly delivers on the spectacle front, the same can’t be said for its lackluster, often underdeveloped story that seems to only serve as fodder for some truly epic action.
Describing the plot of 100 Yards seems futile because the pieces keep overcomplicating themselves as the movie strolls along. But the basis of the film centers around a conflict between Shen An (Jacky Heung) and Qi Quan (Andy On), venerable masters of a known martial arts school in 1920s China. The two want to take over the school after their old master dies, with Qi being the heir apparent. However, Shen also wants a piece of action; a conflict ensues, and they take their fight to the streets.
Most of the movie is a nonstop series of perfectly calibrated and shot action sequences, the likes of which are rarely seen at such a scale in big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. I really hate to be the one comparing apples to oranges, but it’s truly something when you see a film made by another country that not only understands the physics of action filmmaking (perfectly comprehending that “action is emotion”) but also gets how to shoot these scenes for a visual medium. Most Hollywood filmmakers have seemingly forgotten both golden rules when capturing action at such a large scale, and it’s why many critics feel refreshed when they see an international film doing what everyone should do.
To King’s credit, Haofeng and Junfeng’s languages do seem inspired by the physics and sweeping grandeur of a Lau Kar-leung production, though with a bit more frenetic cuts in between the fight moves that often make the sequences feel slightly jarring. But one shouldn’t complain too much when most of the action is not only perfectly digestible but looks immaculate. Each fight moves hit as hard as the last, and the sweeping, almost balletic quality of the camerawork makes the whole package feel like one massive choreography that intensifies itself as allegiances form and the conflict races to its apex.
How Haofeng and Junfeng stage the fight scenes is an art in and of itself, and it’s even more impressive to realize how each emotional point of the action acts as a response to how the (steady) camera moves within the sequence. When the camera slowly pans as Shen shows Qi how he can kill him during a tense duel, each move means something, and each gesture performed by the characters holds emotional weight. It also helps that the choreography is precise and demonstrates a style of action that few filmmakers can do justice to.
Each time a fight would break out, I would leap out of my seat in complete bewilderment, attempting to figure out exactly how a specific moment was performed, particularly one locker room brawl that took me out for a spin. How did they do any of this? It doesn’t feel as impossible as in Baby Assassins: Nice Days, but it’s certainly a language of action that hasn’t been treated on screen in a long time and is further refined by filmmakers who respect the legacy brought upon by the Shaw Brothers, yet give their own spin to Hong Kong action pioneers.
It’s a shame the story isn’t remotely as interesting as the action (alongside a bludgeoning Harmonica-heavy score that gets tiresome really fast). Such a simple premise shouldn’t overcomplicate itself like this, and it’s hard to get invested in the drama when the characters are thinly developed beyond strong bouts of action. Sure, it has style for days and is one of the most lavish productions China has put out in a very long time, but it doesn’t compensate for poor character growth, even if Heung and On give competent performances.
They’re far more compelling when they emotionally engage with themselves during a brawl than when they spew the most nonsensical expository drivel as they talk with one another. It’s unfortunate that both Haofeng and Junfeng can’t compellingly draw an intriguing rivalry beyond the battles, but their dexterity at crafting mind-blowing, perfectly calibrated, and paced action is 100 Yards’ true saving grace.
Some action cinema experts will tell you that you don’t watch a Shaw Brothers film for the plot, which may be true. However, movies like Sun Chung’s The Avenging Eagle and Kuei Chih-hung’s Killer Constable (which both screened at Fantasia this year and is why I’m using these two as specific examples) had incredible feats of action that enhanced the already gripping story and character work. We were emotionally invested in the characters beyond the mind-blowing action.
100 Yards has some of the most amazing fight sequences of the year but without any of the emotional texture and substance that these Shaw Brothers’ films had. In fact, the trailer for a Shaw Brothers film that played before 100 Yards looked far more complete with its story than Haofeng and Junfeng’s film. Strong drama and characters you could latch onto before the filmmaker goes all out in action that’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. That’s the beauty of any great Shaw film. 100 Yards seemingly nails the action, but not much else around it.
Still, it’s far better than Haofeng’s last production, The Hidden Sword, and there’s hope their next film will be even better than 100 Yards. With an innate understanding of the physics and emotion of action sequences, there’s no doubt Haofeng and Junfeng will cement themselves as true action innovators if they can find a less complicated and more emotionally involving story that acts as a deeper emotional anchor than perfectly-choreographed feats of martial arts.
SCORE: ★★★
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