Bone-crushingly brutal, stunt and fight coordinator turned director Kenji Tanigaki's **THE FURIOUS** is the martial arts action film you have been waiting for.
When it comes to all-out martial arts films of this caliber, plot and character typically take a backseat to the spectacle of violence -- but in Tanigaki's **THE FURIOUS**, the story satisfyingly achieves parity with the gut-wrenching action.
Single father Wang Wei (Miao Xie) spends time with his young daughter Rainy (Enyou Yang) as a working class handyman on the outskirts of their city -- when human traffickers snatch her off the streets, setting in motion a sequence of events that will test his endurance like nothing before.
As Wang Wei desperately tears apart and bludgeons his way through the criminal underworld looking for his daughter -- he crosses paths with Navim (Joe Taslim) who is also combing through the same clues in search of his missing wife.
Set within a fictional Southeast Asian landscape that seamlessly blends Thai, Indonesian, Chinese, and Japanese influences, **THE FURIOUS** creates a distinctive sense of place that enriches every frame.
Once Wang Wei and Navim team up together in a pairing as satisfying as 2022's **RRR**, the action goes full-throttle in an unrelenting orgy of broken bones, crushed skulls, and violence, showcasing martial arts disciplines ranging from Chinese Wushu and Kung Fu to Judo and Pencak Silat.
Speaking of Pencak Silat, the inclusion of Yayan Ruhian (whose disciplaine is Pencak Silat) as a ruthless, bow and arrow assassin is just icing on the cake. Every fighting sequence involving Ruhian is a masterclass in viciousness that will slake the bloodlust of the most diehard martial arts fan.
With a surprising third act that escalates the action and tension, **THE FURIOUS** avoids the pitfall so many martial arts films tend to make with formulaic, predictable endings -- taking twists and turns that will leave a bittersweet taste.
Hands down the best action film of the year, Tanigaki's **THE FURIOUS** will satisfy fans of **THE RAID** films, and now belongs in the conversation as one of the finest martial arts action films in the 21st century. Brian Le, Jeeja Yanin, Sahajak Boonthanakit, and Manatsanun Phanlerdwongsakul co-star.