By The Furious arrives with all the ingredients required to excite action fans. The trailers promise a brutal revenge story, a child-trafficking plot that raises the stakes immediately, and a cast led by martial arts veterans capable of delivering memorable fight scenes. On paper, it looks like one of the most exciting action releases of the year. Unfortunately, this is also a good example of how strong marketing can sell a movie that ultimately struggles to meet the expectations it creates.
The story follows Wei, played by Xie Miao, a father whose daughter is kidnapped by a criminal trafficking network. Determined to bring her home, he launches a violent one-man assault against everyone responsible. Along the way, he crosses paths with Navin, portrayed by Joe Taslim, another man hunting the same organization for deeply personal reasons. Their separate missions eventually collide as they work their way toward the people at the top of the criminal chain.
For viewers unfamiliar with Xie Miao, this film may serve as an introduction. Despite having more than fifty acting credits, he is not a performer I have closely followed over the years. He handles the physical demands of the role well and commits fully to the action, but the screenplay gives him little opportunity to develop beyond the determined father seeking revenge. The emotional side of the character remains largely unexplored.
Joe Taslim once again proves why he remains one of the most respected action performers working today. Whether in The Raid, The Night Comes for Us, or more mainstream productions, Taslim consistently elevates the material around him. Here, he does everything possible to bring credibility and presence to his role. Unfortunately, it feels like another case of Taslim waiting for the script that fully matches his talent. His performance is strong, but the writing never reaches the same level.
The standout performer is Brian Le as Ho. Every time he appears on screen, the energy immediately increases. Ho feels dangerous, relentless, and physically imposing in a way that many of the other characters do not. Brian Le creates the film’s most memorable antagonist and becomes the primary reason to stay invested through the later stages of the story.
The film is directed by Kenji Tanigaki, whose name is closely associated with the acclaimed Rurouni Kenshin franchise. Tanigaki’s work on those films demonstrated an impressive understanding of movement, rhythm, and stylized combat. The problem is that the same choreography philosophy does not translate effectively into the world of The Furious.
In a historical fantasy setting like Rurouni Kenshin, flowing movement and acrobatic transitions feel natural and visually exciting. Here, however, the choreography often feels disconnected from the brutal reality the film is trying to portray. Throughout the movie, characters perform movements that resemble breakdancing routines, exaggerated frog jumps, spinning evasions, and constant dance-like transitions between attacks. Instead of making the combat feel more dynamic, these choices frequently undermine the intensity of scenes that should feel grounded and dangerous.
The camera work itself is solid. Tanigaki understands how to frame action and allows audiences to see what is happening without excessive cutting. The problem is not how the fights are filmed but rather the creative decisions behind the choreography itself. For a story centered on child traffickers, revenge, and brutal violence, the action often feels oddly theatrical.
Fans of highly stylized martial arts cinema may still find elements to appreciate, particularly Brian Le’s performance and Joe Taslim’s reliable screen presence. However, viewers expecting the hard-hitting realism suggested by the trailers may leave disappointed. The Furious contains flashes of greatness, but its unusual choreography choices prevent it from becoming the brutal modern action classic it clearly wanted to be.
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