The Furious isn’t just fighting for my favorite movie of 2026. It is currently among my favorite action films ever. Full stop. No exaggeration: this is one of the most amazing pictures I have ever experienced.
Following two men victimized by the criminal underworld, the father of a kidnapped girl finds an ally while trying to hunt down those responsible while racing against the invisible hourglass where his daughter’s sand is running out.
Every review you may see on The Furious will rave about the nonstop action and the ultra-violence, but this picture is so much more than just the greatest martial arts displays put into a movie. The style and execution is awe inspiring. I know that the Academy Awards won’t be awarding stunt performances until 2028, but this team and the choreography deserves every award that exists any many that don’t yet. It was similar to seeing Bruce Lee for the first time and just being completely stupefied with amazement.
Narrative and emotion can sometimes feel lost in such action heavy pictures, but The Furious is brilliantly structured from the very opening. Incredibly done while completely establishing the world of the film in the first three minutes, while seamlessly transitioning into our heroes introduction so sweetly. Odd reference, but the early pacing reminds me of Mötley Crüe’s “Kickstart my Heart.” The intense guitar slide resembling a revving engine, then the shift for the second slide that ramps into pure adrenaline.
Matching the structure of a band, the variety of martial art styles and personas is reminiscent of a fighting game and adds character to every individual on screen. Most notably, I need the entire filmography of Miao Xie immediately as he disappears into his role so deeply, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he is a method actor and genuinely believed his daughter was taken. That being before his awesome Tai Chi flowing through bad guys like a leaf on the wind…if that leaf could kick your head off faster than blinking.
Joining the father in his hunt is Judoka champion, Joe Taslim, who has become a favorite of mine over the last few years from his work in Warrior and don’t think I didn’t notice that this Sub-Zero actor has a scene in an icehouse! Where Xie brings the intensity, Taslim brings the cool. Not removing it, but that pun was unintended. He needs to start getting bigger roles because I still believe that he could become the next big Asian star in America.
The degree of difficulty for The Furious to click as well as it does had to be a massive undertaking. With almost every actor hailing from different countries across South Asia and the surrounding islands, a director from Japan, and the only universal language was stunts? That is almost a miracle how good this film is.
I have been telling everyone who will listen to go see The Furious when it comes out June 12th, but I know that I won’t have to recommend multiple viewings as I have already bought tickets to more showings myself.