Director Kenji Tanigaki delivers arguably one of the best action movies of the year in the highly enjoyable ass-kicking fest “The Furious” from Lionsgate. Mak Tin Shu, Lei Zhilong, Shum Kwan Sin and Frank Hui pen the film’s screenplay.
After a criminal network kidnaps the daughter of Wang Wei (Xie Miao) and he receives no help from the corrupt police, Wei sets out on a rampage to find her himself. His only ally is Navin (Joe Taslim) – a relentless journalist whose wife has mysteriously disappeared. Fueled by a furious vengeance, the unlikely duo ruthlessly fights against the kidnappers.
“The Furious” kicks things off, introducing us to Navin’s character’s wife in an impressive opening sequence that effectively uses acrobatics and gives the heroine a chance to shine. We then meet the mute Wang Wei and his daughter. Wang is a loving father, albeit a bit overprotective. The film sets an organic reason for why his daughter is kidnapped, and from the moment Wang takes off on a foot chase to resecure her, the audience is in for a wild ride.
Joe Taslim, whom I’ve been a long-time fan of, brings an organic, everyman charm to his character, Navin. An undercover cop, Navin doesn’t mind bending the rules to get his man, and the script delivers a slow build to seeing Navin in action, but when it’s time to deliver, Taslim is more than up to the task. Xie Miao was an actor I wasn’t aware of, but he adds a great counterweight to Navin.
Every single fight scene in the film will put a smile on your face, as they keep upping the ante. The film’s final fight is arguably one of the longest fight scenes ever put on film, and every actor gets a chance to shine. However, special credit must go to Brian Le. His character is a massive brute who keeps going.
“The Furious” may have a simple plot, which is fine, as this is a movie about ass-kicking and martial arts, and on that front, the film delivers.
Final Grade: A
“The Furious” opens wide on June 11th .
Director Potsy Ponciroli shifts gears for his third feature in “Motor City,” produced by IFC Films. Chad St. John penned the film’s screenplay, which was actually on the 2009 Black List and spent several years in development hell before finally getting underway.
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Writer-director Lee Cronin made an impressive feature film debut in 2019 with “The Hole in the Ground” and followed it up with a fresh and gruesome installment in the “Evil Dead” franchise, “Evil Dead Rise”. However, due to adult responsibilities, I missed his third film in theaters. The mixed reviews and rumors of a troubled production have me concerned.
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