I finally watched “The Furious” in English on Prime Video. I hadn’t managed to catch it in theaters even though everyone was raving about its action sequences.
So, was that praise justified or not?
Let’s spill some tea.
I’m Ayush, and here’s the tea.
After looking up the film’s lead actor, I realized I had actually seen him in a movie as a child: “The New Legend of Shaolin“, where he played the son of the legendary Jet Li. Wow.
Story / Premise
Anyway, this movie, which deals with human trafficking, highlights the issue of child abductions; however, the kidnapper who snatched this particular girl has no idea that her father is a master of martial arts and kung fu, a true legend in the field.
So, after the girl is kidnapped, her father sets out to find her, and someone else steps in to help him.
Now, who is this person, and does the father find his daughter? That’s the basic premise of the story, but honestly, the film doesn’t really rely on its plot…
…because, frankly, the story itself isn’t all that strong.
The Story Has Some Serious Loopholes
- What exactly does the father do that makes him so skilled?
- Why are the children being kidnapped?
- What is the kidnapper’s motive?
- How does that bald guy manage to survive despite taking such a severe beating?
It is better not to dwell on these points, because the fight sequences completely overshadow every loophole and negative aspect of the movie.
The Action Is Where The Furious Shines
The fight scenes are choreographed in such a way that the moment the action starts, you’ll find yourself watching with wide-eyed amazement.
And you get to experience moments like this throughout 90% of the movie.
You get to see a major action sequence every five to ten minutes.
I grew up watching movies starring Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan. Later, an actor named Tony Jaa appeared; I watched a couple of his films, but then I lost track of him.
But after all that time, watching this proper martial arts movie was a real treat. The action sequences were absolutely thrilling.
Although the action is quite brutal, the film isn’t rated ‘R’. Still, even though the plot revolves around the kidnapping of children, it’s probably best not to let kids watch it.
It has a runtime of less than two hours and keeps you completely hooked, not necessarily through its story-line, but through its action sequences.
You never feel a single action scene where you notice VFX or CGI; everything feels raw, rustic, and brutal.
Performances, Emotion & My Verdict
And it’s not just the action; the emotional aspects hooked me too. Whether it’s the father-daughter bond or the emotions surrounding the kidnapped children, it all works effectively.
While the action is a major strength, I do have a slight grievance there; there’s a moment where you’re left thinking, “How is that even possible, bro?” Martial arts have their place, but you can’t show a man jumping from the tenth floor and surviving without a single broken bone, scratch, or drop of blood on his body.
I mean, we aren’t watching a movie like “Shaolin Soccer“. If it were in that format, I’d accept it, but there are no such moments here; at least make it somewhat believable—I mean, a few moments don’t seem credible.
However, the choreography is so impressive that action lovers likely won’t even dwell on those details.
It was an amazing action movie, though the storytelling was quite dull. I’d easily deduct a star for that, but I’d give it four out of five stars for the action alone.
All the actors delivered great performances.
There’s no profanity or nudity, either.
If you’ve seen the movie, let me know in the comments. I guess you probably watched it a while ago, right?