Lady Bloodfight

An American woman arrives in Hong Kong and finds herself inside an illegal fighting tournament open only to women. Chris Nahon lifts the eighties tournament template almost intact and puts women at the centre of it: the training section, the parade of opponents, the elimination rounds, the final. Amy Johnston came up as a stunt performer, and the film's best decision is to shoot the fights wide and uncut, since the choreography does not need camera trickery. The story side is thin, the dialogue flat and the motivation shallow, none of which the film claims otherwise. It became a reference point of sorts within women's martial arts cinema. Who it is for: viewers who like martial arts films and the tournament shape. Who it is not for: anyone wanting story and character, since this is built entirely on fighting.