100 Nights of Hero Movie Review

“100 Nights of Hero” is a tale that strives to be up in the air of Shakespeare. However, it winds up like “The Princess Bride” with a side of “Thelma and Louise” thrown in. It’s an odd mix to throw into the blender, but it comes up smooth and tasty.

There is a land of Fantasy, where all life on this world was created by a Birdman. Now this land is filled with the ones faithful to the Word of the Bird. In this land, there is a sharp divide between men and women. The guys have all the perks and all the fun. The women are bound by the Laws of the Birdmen.

The main purpose of the woman is to be a wife to a well-off man, and to deliver many heirs. Any woman who fails to live up to that standard can be put on trial separation — from her dainty little head. Women are not to learn to read or write. They are not to refuse the all-powerful man. They are only to be chaste, very demure, and very mindful.

One such powerhouse of a man is Jerome (played by Amir El-Masry). His wife is a lovely little thing named Cherry (played by Maika Monroe). Cherry is shy and unassuming, while being an expert at chess and falconry.

Cherry waits for the wonderful night that Jerome will take her physically and she will become the mother of his little heir. After all, the Law of the Birdmen say it must be so. However, Jerome is a little distracted when it comes to loving a woman department. He might have his head focused on other exploits. So, at this point Cherry is still childless.

The Chief Birdman (played by Richard E. Grant) is furious that Cherry cannot produce, that is, reproduce. But it takes two to tango. And that is a dance in which Jerome has no interest.

The Chief Birdman decrees that after 100 days, if Cherry has popped out a little mini-Jerome – well, the consequences might be dire. Cherry is distraught and upset. But she has support in her handmaid – a wise young woman named Hero (played by Emma Corrin). Hero has some special talents that she keeps hidden. But she knows how to calm down Cherry’s fears.

Under the three moons of this Fantasy world, life is about to get awkward for Cherry. Her fine and upstanding husband gets a visit to the large castle where they live. This is an old friend of Jerome’s. It is dashingly handsome chap named Manfred (played by Nicholas Galitzine). Manfred is quite the ladies man — and is quite unlike Jerome.

Jerome announces that he must take a trip away, for quite a while. There can be no heir-making activity for Cherry for the foreseeable future. Manfred makes a secret deal with Jerome. Manfred will use all of his manly charms to attempt to seduce Cherry. Cherry must prove her chaste resolve by resisting Manfred, that hunky little devil…

So for about 100 days, Cherry must remain in her place of chastity and honor. Manfred will try every trick he knows to get Cherry to swoon at his feet. But leave it Hero, the plain and unassuming handmaid, to come to the rescue and help Cherry in her tribulations and trials.

Hero has a simple plan, to tell a tale that will entrance both Cherry and Manfred. She tells of a trio of Sisters. These live in that same land of restrictions and the Laws of the Birdmen. But these women are courageous and brave. Their Father, a sea captain, is away for months and even years. These Sisters have taught themselves some special talents.

They have the power to read and write, and to tell stories. They all are beautiful and talented. But they have secret understanding of language and poetry. The eldest daughter is named Rosa (played by Charli XCX). She is the one that is selected to be the bride to a wealthy merchant. Her Father is really proud.

Hero begins this never-ending-story one night at the castle. Manfred is so caught up in the weaving of this tale that he forgets to woo Cherry. But Hero stops the story, because there will be more the next day. And for quite a long number of days, the story goes on and on. Cherry has not broken her vows, and Manfred remains too distracted to try to get his way.

The Three Sisters are in touch with the folklore and the Tales of Old. They have heard about the Woman who was the first of the ‘Secret Society of Storytellers’. She became too strong and emotionally powerful that she turned into a heavenly body. This first storyteller is now the Moon (played by Felicity Jones). She is a kindly presence ready to help the powerless.

Manfred is caught up, night after night, so much so that he forgets his purpose. He is here to seduce Cherry – to show Jerome that she has no special power to remain faithful and true. Manfred does not know that he has another rival. Hero is also in love with Cherry. But in this Fantasy world, acting on her desire would be the ultimate fantasy.

Cherry is confused by her attraction to Hero, and at the same time wants to know what it world be like to be intimate with Manfred. She finally gives in to his pleading, and they are about to do the Horizontal Tango. But of course, it the same moment that Jerome returns. Manfred has apparently won his bet with Jerome.

But the big losers are Cherry and Hero. The Birdmen find out about the indiscretion of Cherry, and about the secret stash of books and writings of Hero. They are sentenced to be flung off a tower, to their death. That is, unless Hero and Cherry decide to go the route of “Thelma and Louise”…

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“100 Nights of Hero” is a movie based on the graphic novel (“The One Hundred Nights of Hero”). The novel has ‘borrowed’ the idea from the old “1001 Arabian Nights” story. Both involve someone telling a long, drawn-out story to prevent something from happening.

The acting is really good from the main three characters. Maika Monroe (Cherry) and Emma Corrin (Hero) are both fending off Nicholas Galitzine, (Manfred). The interaction is amusing between these three. This ‘period piece’ fantasy lets them get pretty crazy every now and then.

The story within the story gives off some ‘fantasy land’ vibes. The little sections are when Hero is telling the tale that is doing the job of distracting Manfred. The ‘fantasy’ world and the real world eventually collide. Hero and Cherry become stronger because of what they learn from the tale.

“100 Nights of Hero” shows that storytellers have always had a treasured place in the world, and that not every ‘Hero’ needs to wear a cape.