Folks, get ready to rerank the best martial arts films in the history of cinema.
But, before we get to the meat and potatoes of this adrenaline rush, a bit of a disclaimer: this is another plot-ridden film based on a monotonous premise of “child gets kidnapped by a human trafficking ring, parent goes on a bloodbath spree to find and rescue” with some wonky dialogue and technical disparities. We get it: you can rope in four screenwriters, but the overtime was not paid off for crafting up another thinly crafted plot and some dialogue that doesn’t sound natural. Also, Jason Statham called; he wants credit for the inspirations behind this plot structure, which blends with his renowned Hollywood work.
Fortunately, the action is such a ferocious pandemonium of sorts that these nitpicks get lost in the awe and astuteness of director Kenji Tanigaki’s brilliance for his third film.
The plot of The Furious is that mute Wang Wei’s (Miao Xie) daughter gets kidnapped by the cartel, shortly after Navin’s (Joe Taslim) journalist wife goes missing while investigating said cartel. The duo eventually stumbles into one another at a nightclub and, realizing they are after the same target, team up to find their families, heading to factories, the “Snake Pit,” and dealing with the aftermath in the climactic police station scenes. And, well, let’s say it’s more of a bats*** crazy sprint to get to the climax, because holy hell, this film never halts to let you breathe as your heart rate pumps up to infinity.
A mesmerizing bloodbath of brute and violent hand-to-hand combat, gnarly contortions, and resourceful weaponry, this is a barrage of sensational action that makes you want to sprint and join the action. Kicking it into sixth gear with pros like Xie and Taslim and fight choreographers/directors a la Yayan Ruhian (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum) and Brian Le (a stunt performer in Everything Everywhere All at Once to Bullet Train) elevates this to the upper echelon of martial arts films. And despite the thin plot mentioned, the action is more than justified for Tanigaki to carry out the bone-snapping, back-bending action left and right. It’s pulsating so much that it brings to mind other awesome action films such as The Raid, Night Comes for Us, Ip Man, and John Wick (and its sequels). Maybe Keanu Reeves will be hiring one of these folks behind the camera for John Wick 5.
Never once does said action leave you feeling shortchanged, nor does the sound design fail in any regard. A complimentary and dream pair with Xie and Taslim, coupled with a penchant for non-stop violent fun and thrills in the ensuing action, and The Furious will be one to look back on when it comes to choreography and innovation.
If this writer can leave the multiplex ready to pull an Ethan Hunt, it sure as hell will be a setpiece to remember. Magical.
