‘The Furious’ Review: Martial Arts Film Praised for Choreography, Criticized for Dialogue
13 reported
A review of the film “The Furious,” directed by Kenji Tanigaki, highlights its action choreography by Kensuke Sonomura as the standout element, while noting its sparse plot and dubbed dialogue. The film, a Hong Kong production blending multiple cultures, was acquired by Lionsgate after a festival run where it placed second in the People’s Choice voting in Toronto’s Midnight Madness section. The story follows an unnamed Chinese blue-collar worker whose nine-year-old daughter, Rainy, is kidnapped by child traffickers in an unnamed Southeast Asian country. He teams up with Navin, a journalist whose wife has gone missing investigating the syndicate, to rescue her. The review emphasizes the film’s visceral, bone-crunching fight sequences, which use props like ladders, hammers, and bicycles, and notes the cast includes Xie Miao, Joe Taslim, and Yayan Ruhian. The film opens globally tomorrow.
What’s reported
The film is directed by Kenji Tanigaki, his third feature, and he is also an accomplished action choreographer and stunt coordinator.
The action choreographer is Kensuke Sonomura.
Four screenwriters are credited for the film.
The film was scooped up for international distribution by Lionsgate after a fall festival run.
It came second in the People’s Choice voting in Toronto’s Midnight Madness section.
The story is set in an unnamed country described as “somewhere in Southeast Asia.”
The protagonist is an unnamed Chinese blue-collar worker whose nine-year-old daughter Rainy (played by Yang Enyou) is kidnapped by child traffickers.
He teams up with Navin (played by Joe Taslim), whose journalist wife has gone missing.
The cast also includes Yayan Ruhian as a diminutive villain.
The film features dialogue in dubbed English, Mandarin, Thai, and Tagalog.
The film opens globally tomorrow.
The review describes the action as featuring hand-to-hand combat, weaponry, and bodily contortions, with props including ladders, hammers, wooden pallets, and bicycles.
The film shares a producer, Bill Kong, with “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
Key figures
Kenji Tanigaki: Director
Kensuke Sonomura: Action choreographer
Xie Miao: Actor, plays unnamed blue-collar worker
Yang Enyou: Actor, plays Rainy
Joe Taslim: Actor, plays Navin
Yayan Ruhian: Actor, plays a diminutive villain
Bill Kong: Producer
Meteor Cheung: Cinematographer
Sources: Variety
