The Furious is pure, ferocious action, with certified martial artists executing complex fight choreography that ranks among the best seen in years. Hong Kong action director Kenji Tanigaki returns kung fu filmmaking to basics with long takes and minimal cuts, pushing both the camera and his actors to their limits.
After Wang Wei’s (Xie Miao) daughter is kidnapped by a child-trafficking ring operating under police protection, Wei teams up with Navin, played by The Raid: Redemption and Mortal Kombat II actor Joe Taslim, to find his daughter and Navin’s missing wife.
Legitimate Action Stars
The Furious delivers an endless barrage of explosive martial arts showdowns. The cast and filmmakers bring authentic experience to every punch and kick. Tanigaki began his career in Hong Kong as a trained martial artist and stunt performer before moving into Hollywood productions such as Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins and Blade II. He also collaborated with Donnie Yen for more than 30 years. Taslim told CineMovie the director often jumped in to demonstrate what he was looking for.
The actors are legitimate martial arts experts as well. Xie Miao was a child wushu champion in China and became a well-known child action star after playing Jet Li’s son in New Legend of Shaolin and My Father Is a Hero. Joe Taslim is a former judo champion who broke out internationally with the acclaimed action film The Raid: Redemption.
Adrenaline as the Soundtrack
Raw rage serves as the soundtrack in The Furious, with the grunts, impacts, and exertion of the fighters replacing traditional musical cues. Tanigaki harnesses that pure adrenaline to drive the tension, rarely relying on a conventional score.
Not All Brawn
The Furious isn't all violence. A compelling emotional core grounds the action, centering on a father’s love for his child and a husband’s determination to find his wife. Wang plays a largely non-verbal character, adding another layer of intrigue to the story.
Wang Wei’s daughter, Rainy (Yang Enyou), is a spitfire. She refuses to wait around to be rescued and takes matters into her own hands, attempting to free both herself and the boy who unknowingly lured her into the trap. She serves as the film’s heart and emotional anchor.
The Final Fight
The climactic fight sequence is a masterpiece. Tanigaki and action choreographer Kensuke Sonomura have assembled one of the most ambitious continuous-action sequences in recent memory: a five-person melee featuring three competing factions with shifting allegiances throughout the battle. The choreography is intricate, chaotic, and exhilarating, creating a level of intensity rarely seen in modern action cinema.
Final Verdict
The Furious is a raw, adrenaline-fueled martial arts spectacle that showcases some of the finest fight choreography in years. Anchored by authentic martial artists, inventive action design, and an emotional story, it delivers exactly what action fans come to the theater to see.
