100 Nights of Hero: A Bold Gothic Fantasy Arrives in UK Cinemas
As anticipation builds for next week's release of Wuthering Heights, film enthusiasts have another compelling reason to visit the cinema this weekend. 100 Nights of Hero, the second feature from filmmaker Julia Jackman, arrives in UK and Irish cinemas on Friday, February 6, offering audiences an enjoyably provocative gothic fantasy that cleverly subverts traditional fairytale conventions.
A Feminist Fable with Contemporary Resonance
This cool, feminist fable unfolds in an Alice in Wonderland-esque setting populated by hot young stars including Emma Corrin, Longlegs star Maika Monroe, Nicholas Galitzine, and pop sensation Charli XCX in one of her multiple new film roles. Beyond its surface glamour, the historical fantasy movie delivers a stylish critique of societal conventions that will particularly resonate with women and the queer community.
Based on Isabel Greenberg's graphic novel adaptation of the Middle Eastern folktale One Thousand and One Nights, the story centres on Cherry (Monroe), who finds herself married off to the handsome Jerome (Amir El-Masry) in an alternate kingdom. Their failure to conceive an heir troubles both the deity Bird Man (Richard E. Grant in an enjoyably niche cameo) and the patriarchal society governing their lives.
Narrative Complexity and Visual Splendour
The couple receives 101 nights to achieve pregnancy, with failure placing blame squarely on Cherry's shoulders. This premise unfolds against a backdrop of amusingly dark stained glass windows depicting past female sins while commemorating male exceptions. The arrival of Jerome's dashing friend Manfred (Galitzine) throws their lives into chaos, multiplying Cherry's problems exponentially.
Enter Cherry's devoted maid Hero (Corrin), who protects her mistress from Manfred's advances by spinning enchanting nightly stories about a defiant group of sisters who insist on living by their own rules. Charli XCX appears as Rosa in these sequences, though the role doesn't particularly stretch her acting abilities.
Visually, the film represents a gothic-tinged fantasy that blends elements of The Handmaid's Tale and Poor Things through its atmospheric design. A gorgeously bold colour palette and avant-garde costuming create a distinctive aesthetic, while the narrative explores desire with an enjoyably horny sensibility.
Character Dynamics and Thematic Depth
Galitzine's Manfred embodies flashy, unsubtle masculinity, requesting tours of Cherry's bedroom 'architecture' and hunting stags topless to present blood-covered spoils. Yet he remains pouty and good-humoured, emerging as a reasonably harmless himbo rather than a true villain.
Meanwhile, Corrin's Hero develops as a whip-smart, amusing character who shares sweet chemistry with Monroe's Cherry as they plot to maintain autonomy against underwhelming men attempting to control their lives. Their building tension adds emotional complexity to Jackman's off-beat, deadpan creation, which Felicity Jones narrates with spiky precision.
Light Touch with Serious Subjects
Despite addressing dark topics like misogyny at its core, the film maintains a light touch throughout. Inefficient masked guards prioritise gossip about their mistress's private life over actual security, while Cherry gradually realises alternative possibilities beyond her prescribed fate of marriage, children, needlepoint, and eventual death.
As Cherry reflects: 'I was supposed to get married, have children, do needlepoint and die, I guess.' This awakening, inspired by Hero's stories, forms the emotional heart of a film that demonstrates how independent filmmaking continues to thrive artistically beyond big-budget studio constraints.
Final Verdict and Release Details
100 Nights of Hero represents the quirky, queer offering that turns traditional fairytale structures on their heads with considerable flair and wit. With its 12A age rating and 91-minute runtime, the film offers accessible yet sophisticated entertainment for adult audiences seeking something beyond conventional cinema offerings.
Originally released in US cinemas on December 5, the film's UK and Irish release on February 6 provides British audiences with timely counter-programming to mainstream releases. As film fans prepare for Wuthering Heights, this gothic fairytale horniness offers perfect preparation for those seeking intelligent, stylish fantasy with contemporary relevance.
