The Furious: Thrills That Come Fast and Furious

When it comes to Hong Kong inspired, martial arts action cinema, most audiences tend to gravitate to the ‘Raid’ franchise, one known for its awe-inspiring action set pieces and extraordinary. Since then, films have tried to captured that lightning in a bottle but, more often than not, have failed to come close. Turning the dial all the way up while hoping to reclaim some of that same magic, The Furious delivers more thrilling action set pieces and choreography that will have audiences at the edge of their seats. And for most audiences, that will be enough, however, the story connecting the action leaves a bit to be desired. Merely a means to an end, it is a backdrop for that aforementioned action and a pair of stellar performances from Xie Miao and Joe Taslim. Through it all, they are an absolute blast to watch, as their chemistry makes the film. Of course, there could have been more depth here, but this was never going to be one of those kinds of films, ramping up the insanity throughout. That being said, fans of martial arts action cinema will be more than satisfied with what The Furious has to offer. As fast-paced and relentless, as it is brutal, the film certainly packs a punch. The audience is there, so it knows how to cater to its target demographic and they should respond well to this one.

To set the stage, after his daughter Rainy (Yang) is kidnapped by child traffickers, desperate father Wang Wei (Miao) decided to take matters into his own hands after being shrugged off by the corrupt local police force. With the kidnappers in his sights, Wei set out on a rampage to find his daughter himself. Meanwhile, Navin (Taslim), a journalist whose wife, one who just happened to be investigating the same criminal network, goes missing herself. Retracing her own investigation in the hopes of finding her, it was only a matter of time until their journeys would intersect. Living in such a corrupt world where trust is hard to come by, Wei and Navin had each other, each sharing the same goal of revenge against those responsible by exposing their operation. Fueled by vengeance, the unlikely duo found themselves faced with seemingly insurmountable odds against the elaborate criminal organization focused on continuing to operate in the shadows and keeping their many backers’ pockets full. With the relentless Wei and Navin on their tails, what followed would be an intense series of fights between them and kidnappers trying to keep them at bay.

Sprinkling in thrilling action set pieces along the way, the biggest thrill is arguably the thrill of the chase. Providing plenty of inherent commentary along the way in how Wei and Navin interact with each other and the world around them, the film may appear overly bleak. However, within that, there is still hope. Crafting a pair of prototypical little guys (or underdogs) for audiences to rally around, the writing does not offer much to pull from, but Miao and Taslim make it work. The lines have been clearly drawn, as much of the characters’ motivations are lost in that pure battle between the protagonists and the antagonists. Above all else, neither side were willing to give up without a fight, and that energy adds yet another dimension to the action. As our protagonists became further entrenched in those shadows, and the depths of the depravity committed by the group of criminals responsible for the disappearances of their loved ones, their quest evolved into something much more as their new goal was to expose that operation. Putting their lives on the line, that main emotional connection with the characters is the primary driving force in keeping audiences at the edge of their seats, in spite of the conventions of the subgenre also throwing us for a loop. Though The Furious may not stick the landing, the journey makes it more than worth it.

Flashy camerawork and action choreography aside, the highlight of The Furious is the pair of stellar lead performances from Xie Miao and Joe Taslim. Beyond Taslim’s Navin assisting Miao’s Wei, a mute character, to drive the plot forward (Yang’s Rainy also assists at times), the two are a blast to watch because of their great chemistry. Connecting right away, we got them as much as they had one another, as the arc of the dynamic between Wei and Navin made for a compelling watch in the midst of the insanity that surrounded them. A scene-stealer early on, Yang was a delight to watch, until Joey Iwanaga’s Paklung would ratchet up the camp to a level near unheard of.

The Furious is an apt title as the action comes fast and furious, keeping audiences at the edge of their seats with awe-inducing set pieces and choreography, and stellar performances to boot. The only thing holding it back, if anything, is a story that essentially serves as a means to an end.

still courtesy of Lionsgate/Cineplex Pictures

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.