Once in a while an action film comes along and immediately cements itself as an instant classic in the action genre, and Kenji Tanigaki’s The Furious is simply just that. A prominent action choreographer in Hong Kong cinema and Hollywood, Tanigaki’s goal is not to reinvent the genre, but to deliver a relentless action spectacle with a defined precision that only a master in their craft could create.
The film doesn’t shy away from the genre’s familiar tropes, however. The Furious follows Wang Wei (Xie Miao), a mute father looking to rescue her kidnapped daughter. Along the way he meets journalist Navin (Joe Taslim) who’s investigating the truth about his wife’s mysterious disappearance. The two inevitably team up and fight their way through a child trafficking ring run by Paklung (Joey Iwanaga) in pursuit of their goals. It’s a serviceable plot at best, and admittedly most viewers would not watch this for the story anyway.
The genius of it all is setting the film “somewhere in Southeast Asia,” allowing Tanigaki to gather an ensemble cast featuring Asia’s action legends both old and new. In addition to Xie and Taslim, Thai actress Jeeja Yanin and Indonesian actor Yayan Ruhian (Taslim’s co-star in The Raid films) as the bow-and-arrow wielding Tak, are also part of this esteemed cast. Brian Le, who plays the relentless henchman Ho, is an absolute freight train but moves with unbelievable quickness.
The Furious swiftly moves from one memorable set piece to another, culminating in a climactic five-way extended action sequence between Wei, Navin, Paklung, Tak, and Ho. It’s a fight that’s so intense and original, blending martial arts styles from across the continent, that I’m certain it will be still be highly regarded even years from now. With seamless camerawork and inventive choreography, Tanigaki’s The Furious is one of the best martial arts film I’ve seen this decade.
Rating:
The Talking Screen 