The Furious: A High-Octane Action Thriller Built on a Simple Revenge Plot

Director Kenji Tanigaki's latest film, 'The Furious', delivers a visceral action experience centered on a mute man's quest to rescue his kidnapped daughter. Released in theatres on June 19, the film stars Miao Xie, Joe Taslim, Enyou Yang, and Sahajak Boonthanakit, and has quickly become a talking point for its intense, unapologetic approach to action filmmaking.

The plot follows Wang Wei (Miao Xie), a mute Chinese labourer living in an unnamed Southeast Asian town, whose young daughter Rainy (Enyou Yang) is abducted by a child trafficking network. With the local police rendered ineffective by corruption and indifference, Wang Wei takes matters into his own hands. He is joined by Navin (Joe Taslim), a journalist whose wife vanished while investigating the same criminal ring. Their uneasy alliance leads them to Mr. Song (Sahajak Boonthanakit), the mastermind operating from a casino.

What 'The Furious' lacks in narrative complexity, it more than compensates for with its breathtaking action sequences. Choreographed by Kensuke Sonomura, the fights are inventive and brutal, using walls, tools, and even a hammer in a sequence described as uncomfortably realistic. From a man chasing a truck on foot while wearing sandals to meticulously staged warehouse brawls, the film ensures each major fight has its own identity. The action becomes so overpowering that it eventually pulls the viewer into its relentless rhythm.

The performances anchor the film's emotional core. Miao Xie conveys Wang Wei's grief, determination, and exhaustion entirely through expression and body language, never making his character's muteness feel like a gimmick. Joe Taslim brings a simmering anger and a measured sense of humour to Navin, creating a dynamic that is more tense than buddy-movie camaraderie. However, the film's screenplay and dialogue are its weakest points, often feeling stiff due to multilingual production and uneven dubbing. When the action pauses, the momentum falters.

Despite its thin plot, distracting dubbing, and a slightly overlong final stretch, 'The Furious' succeeds on its own terms. It is a film that knows exactly what it is: a straightforward revenge tale that prioritizes jaw-dropping action over intricate storytelling. For audiences seeking an adrenaline-fueled experience, it delivers confidently and thrillingly.