**A few of my brain cells ended themselves**
The current 7+ rating is completely dishonest.
The movie is beyond stupid. The whole movie has barely six and a half lines of dialogue, with the rest being brainless dancing (fighting). At one point, you start questioning why this is happening, why they are fighting, and what the objective is.
The villains come and kill all the cops at the police station. Kidnapped children are literally seen inside a building, with police protecting the villains. Most annoying is the little girl who continues to demonstrate a lack of discipline or any restraint. She was so annoying that at one point I found myself rooting for the villains.
Please watch waves coming and going, sun rising, or paint drying. Anything is more productive and entertaining than this movie.
"The Furious" is a basic, formulaic martial arts action flick that will appeal to martial arts film purists but less so to everyone else. Beyond the relentless, frenetic and oftentimes bloody action, the shelf is pretty much bare. The story is wholly formulaic and familiar, with a cast of predictable characters, from the dad who is probably ex-special forces or some kind of assassin, the sidekick with his own agenda, the kidnapped but feisty daughter and the super bad, bad guy. It's all been done before.
I'd say if you are a fan of martial arts films and you want a low-IQ watch that's not demanding anything from you, this represents a worthwhile distraction. The martial arts fight scenes are fantastically choreographed and timed. Anyone with a decent background in the martial arts will appreciate this film when viewed from this perspective.
In summary, amazing martial arts action but not a whole lot of anything else. A 6/10 from me because I understand the time, talent and effort involved in creating fight scenes of this complexity.
This is a bad movie, btw. Do not fall for the reviews — I repeat, do not fall for them. If you’ve watched The Raid: Redemption, you’ll be even more disappointed by how scuffed this movie is.
Not just the story, which is bad, but the acting from the entire cast is extremely poor (don’t even get me started). Even the main protagonist can barely act. It’s obvious he was only selected for his martial arts skills and nothing else.
People will tell you this movie is mainly about the action and everything else is secondary, but we’ve already seen pure action done right in The Raid, The Raid 2, and the John Wick franchise. We know what good action movies look like — and this one isn’t even 1% of them.
Also, can anyone explain how every goon from level 1 to level 100 can fight so well? Were they all trained before joining the organization? It becomes ridiculous watching everyone suddenly know advanced martial arts.
From the looks of it, it didn’t do that great at the box office either, so I suppose most of the public didn’t fall for the reviews — which is good, I guess. Very dumb movie with a dumb plot, dumb villains, and dumb characters.
"The Furious" delivers a solid, adrenaline-fueled experience that focuses almost entirely on its high-stakes action sequences. The fight choreography is impressive, showcasing sharp, impactful movements that feel heavy and dangerous, largely thanks to the chemistry between Xie Miao and Joe Taslim. However, the film struggles when it tries to slow down, as the narrative is quite thin and the dialogue often feels like an afterthought. While it lacks the thematic depth or character development to make a lasting impact, it succeeds as a straightforward, brutal display of martial arts skill. If you are looking for a visually driven, no-nonsense action flick that prioritizes physicality over storytelling, it delivers exactly what it promises.
The Fixate & Binge Podcast, w/ Joe Curdy
July 29, 2026
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.
