When discussing “The Furious,” it’s difficult not to just devolve into “The Chris Farley Show” sketch from SNL—simply bringing up all the gnarly moments from the film and then proclaiming how awesome it all is. Because, at the end of the day, “The Furious” is truly that badass slice of awesomeness. While it doesn’t totally revolutionize action films in terms of cinematography (certainly not in terms of narrative), it’s the insane fight choreography that truly sets it apart and will make it a high-water mark for action fans. Director Kenji Tanigaki has crafted a high-octane film that’s almost all propulsion…and just when you think it’s wrapping up, a whole new act (complete with resolving character arcs) comes along to blow you away again. It’s an impressive feat—hell, the whole movie is an impressive feat—and absolutely one that is worth seeking out.
Somewhere in Southeast Asia…a reporter (JeeJa Yanin) goes missing while trying to track down a child trafficking ring, leaving her grieving husband (Joe Taslim) to pick up the trail. A young girl (Yang Enyou) is grabbed by that ring, with her mute father (Xie Miao) in hot pursuit. When it becomes obvious the police are too inept (and corrupt) to do anything, matters are taken into their own hands. The duo will rip through the underworld to find the truth and the people they love, no matter how many people dare to try to stop them.
There’s an inherent nerd compulsion to rank and compare things. For those interested, I would say that “The Furious” doesn’t hit the same heights as “The Raid 2” or “The Night Comes For Us” but only just barely misses that status. That doesn’t at all mean it’s bad or minor, as those two films are possibly some of the greatest action films put out in the last decade, if not ever. To come close to the kinetic accomplishments is impressive in its own right and “The Furious” certainly does that. Tanigaki and crew pull inspiration from a number of areas—Jackie Chan, video games, Southeast Asia action films, and more—but blend them together to produce something utterly unique. The martial arts expertise on display is rarely paralleled, and DP Meteor Cheung captures it all magnificently. Each blow lands with a powerful thud or sickening crack and is beautifully planned and shot that it becomes a truly visceral experience.
In addition to Joe Taslim and Xie Miao, there are other incredible performers that all get their moments to shine. Joey Iwanaga, Brian Le, JeeJa Yanin, and Yayan Ruhian—all of whom have dazzled in previous films—once again blow viewers minds with their speed, dexterity, and screen presence. Iwanaga, Le, and Ruhian particularly do an impressive job of cultivating menace for their villains in a way that extends beyond the physicality; it’s not just that they are powerful badasses but they also have a true aura of intimidation about them that makes them formidable opponents to our heroes and adds real gravity to the events.
The plot of “The Furious” isn’t the most unique, especially in the world of action films, nor is much done with it to elevate the narrative. That’s not to say child trafficking is dull, or that the story itself isn’t engaging, merely that the crusading father has been done before. But in “The Furious,” the actors really sell the emotion. Part of it is that the peril seems very real—a kid dies early on (pretty brutally too), and the antagonists are not exactly gentle creatures with their abducted children. But a lot of it is also that the actors really embody the torment that’s happening. Tanigaki knows that emotion is incredibly important to these types of movies—you can have the most technically proficient martial artist, but without any real feeling, it just becomes a dull exercise in physicality. By marrying the impressive choreography with the earnest emotions of the characters, audiences become even more invested and their adrenaline spikes even more as our heroes face increasingly impossible odds.
“The Furious” is easily one of the best films of the year so far. Firing on all cylinders and delivering truly inventive sequences, Tanigaki and company have crafted an all-timer that will have fans hollering and hooting. It’s a movie that works best with a hyped crowd—but even alone “The Furious” still casts a tremendous spell. Much like “The Raid” or “John Wick” have become hallmarks of the genre, so too will “The Furious” be mentioned going forward when comparing action sequences and martial arts films. If you enjoy seeing hardcore fights expertly choreographed and rendered in beautiful brutal fashion, then you owe it to yourself to find the nearest theater showing “The Furious” and watch it as soon as possible.
4.5 / 5 Stars
Directed by: Kenji Tanigaki
Starring: Xie Miao, Joe Taslim, Yang Enyou, Brian Le, Yayan Ruhian, JeeJa Yanin, Joey Iwanaga, Sahajak Boonthanakit
