The Furious (2026) REVIEW
An action film that doesn’t pull its punches
Overview
After the daughter of Wang Wei is kidnapped by a criminal network and he receives no help from the corrupt police, Wei sets out on a rampage to find her himself. His only ally is Navin – a relentless journalist whose wife has mysteriously disappeared. Fueled by a furious vengeance, the unlikely duo ruthlessly fights against the kidnappers in this explosive martial arts showdown.
R | 1hr 53m | Action, Crime, Martial Arts, Thriller
This was a favorite of mine from the Dallas International Film Festival that took me right back to the kung-fu movies that I would watch with my dad. The ones where the ADR dubs were off, but the action is so intense that you didn’t care.
The Furious at its core, is a simple story, but it lands because it makes you care about its characters with surprisingly little setup. The story is set in an undisclosed country in Southeast Asia. We follow a mute father Wang Wei (Mo Tse) on a relentless journey to find his kidnapped daughter Rainy (Yang Enyou). Along the way he must team up with a journalist, Navin (Joe Taslim) who is trying to find his wife who has also disappeared. Along the way they uncover a world of corruption and secrets involving an criminal network. There’s an efficiency to the storytelling that feels very old-school, trusting the audience to connect the dots through the action rather than exposition.
As the film goes on, you move from fighter to fighter, each with a distinct martial arts style and presence. Their personalities come through in how they fight: every movement feels tied to a struggle they’re carrying, whether it’s anger, loyalty, or survival. The cast, made up of seasoned martial artists (Yayan Ruhian) and rising performers (Brian Le) in the action space, makes every fight scene feel so authentic. Joey Iwanaga utilizes his kicks, Yayan Ruhian a bow, and Wang Wei is silent in his brutality.
Lionsgate
A big reason it works is the chemistry and trust between the actors. The hits and kills feel HEAVY and real. There’s a level of commitment in the stunt work where it genuinely looks like they’re going all out, like every punch has consequences. You can tell these performers understand each other’s rhythms, which makes the choreography feel impactful. It’s like a dance where they fully know there partners.
Director Kenji Tanigaki uses environments and set pieces to shape each encounter in a way that highlights the actors’ strengths. Whether it’s tight, enclosed spaces or more open battlegrounds, each fight feels distinct and purposeful. The cast gathered really does feel like the Avengers of the martial arts film community combining the different styles, different energies, all colliding in a way that keeps raising the stakes.
Like I mentioned earlier this is all action that is set up by little to no dialogue. I am not a fan of the English ADR and found it to be in stark contrast to the masterful technical work of the stunts and camera. The decision after listening to Chris Tonick, the editor of the film, speak on the film as a whole is to appeal to a western audience. I do think this will work for most audiences who are desperately craving an action film that won’t “pull its punches.”
There’s also a solid theme of corruption and what you are willing to do for the people you need an emotional throughline. So many jaw-dropping moments keep you transfixed to the screen and leaning forward in your seat. Needs to be added to your watchlist for all martial arts lovers.
