Kenji Tanigaki has long established himself as a specialist in action choreography and stunt work, and his latest film, The Furious, further showcases his martial arts expertise and filmmaking ability. An internationally collaborative Hong Kong production featuring a Pan-Asian cast, its development was brought together by Edko Films and Zhejiang Hengdian Film, and filmed on location in Bangkok, Thailand, with additional support from Thai locals and the Japanese stunt team. With XYZ Films and Lionsgate Films handling its international distribution, audiences worldwide are reminded of how action can effectively carry a story.
Set in an unspecified part of Southeast Asia, a mute tradesman named Wang Wei lives in a working-class neighborhood with his daughter, Rainy. The two share a deep, loving bond, even as their difficult living conditions and social pressures bring out their insecurities. One day, Rainy is kidnapped and smuggled by a ruthless human trafficking and criminal syndicate. When law enforcement refuses to intervene, Wei is forced to take matters into his own hands and embarks on a mission to rescue his child, using his fighting style to battle through the criminal underworld. Along the way, he joins forces with an investigative journalist, Navin, who is searching for his wife, whose disappearance is connected to the same network of traffickers.
Upon watching, it becomes apparent that this script, written by Mak Tin-shu, Lei Zhilong, Shum Kwan-sin, and Frank Hui, does not have the most original premise. However, the way Kenji Tanigaki and these screenwriters engage with this familiar material contributes to the overall entertainment value. The Furious is high-octane, action-driven storytelling in which the spectacle advances the narrative while communicating the characters’ heightened emotions and revealing the depth of their relationships. Consistently intense, the brutality on display swings between comically absurd excess and stomach-churning realism. Additionally, it unapologetically leans into its over-the-top style and hyper-violence, which occasionally tip into absurdity, even incorporating intentional camp for added flair. Yet the fact that it’s all played completely straight makes it all the more enjoyable.
Even so, the film still retains heart and knows when to ground its stakes in seriousness. Despite its undeniably exaggerated villains, it still treats the subject of human trafficking seriously, made all the more disturbing by the fact that the victims here are children. Having the criminal syndicate composed of people in power, ranging from mob bosses to business tycoons to law enforcement figures, effectively underscores the pervasive nature of systemic corruption and its impact on society. Plus, it is heartwarming to see the lengths a father will go to in order to save and protect his child, made all the more touching by the loving bond between Wei and his daughter, Rainy, which is convincingly grounded and believable. By extension, the humanity Ravin reveals also contributes to overall engagement.
Throughout the chaos, Wang Wei remains the story’s emotional anchor, a driven and intense protagonist. He is a relentless fighter yet nevertheless a loving father, brought to life by Xie Miao’s tremendous performance. As a terrific counterpart to Wei’s quiet fury, Navin is more of a strategist, though he proves equally formidable in combat, with Joe Taslim as a delightfully charismatic presence who shares an engaging yin-yang dynamic with Xie. It’s already easy to sympathize with Rainy given her traumatic circumstances, yet she’s far more than a mere plot device. She’s an active participant in the narrative, portrayed with remarkable naturalism by Yang Enyou, who shares believable father-daughter chemistry with Xie. Together, these three are a beacon of light against the surrounding darkness that shrouds them.
For the rogues gallery, Brian Le is a force of nature as the nearly indestructible brute known as HD. The archer assassin Tak, even with the inherent absurdity of targeting people while wearing a red athletic tracksuit, is genuinely terrifying, and Yayan Ruhian’s chilling stare and unnerving smile only make him all the more memorable. As for the primary antagonist, Pak Lung, played by Joey Iwanagi, he initially comes off as a stock syndicate villain. However, a disturbingly animalistic side eventually emerges, revealing him as a pitiful yet surprisingly unpredictable threat, making it all the more frightening to think that this unstable man is pulling the strings.
The action scenes are simply spectacular, driven by phenomenal fight choreography and stunt work that make them consistently thrilling to watch and get the viewers’ adrenaline going. With that, each character’s unique martial arts style adds an extra layer of variety to these sequences. Aiding this is superb sound design and stylish editing, with visually immersive cinematography by Meteor Cheung. Topping off the production values is a stellar music score composed by Elliot Leung, Olivia Xiaolin, and Flying Lotus that absolutely rocks.
Delivering jaw-dropping spectacle with emotional weight for good measure, The Furious is a brutal, action-packed triumph. It stands as a stellar showcase of modern martial arts cinema that honors past generations while revitalizing the subgenre for a new era of action filmmaking.
