While there are dozens of action movies out each year, some rise above others, and there’s a new one that’s out this weekend may be one of the best we’ve seen in years. It currently has a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score from 83 critics, one of the highest marks of the entire year, plus a 96% audience score on top of that.
The movie is The Furious, the hardcore martial arts film with a deep pedigree of genre talent, and is being compared to something as impactful as The Raid, released 15 years ago in 2011. Not to say it’s the best since then, but I mean, maybe? Or at least it’s in the conversation.
The Furious is not out in as many theaters as other wide releases, but this is the first time it’s gone wide since its September 2025 debut at festivals. What’s it all about?
A man’s daughter is kidnapped by a criminal network, and a corrupt police force won’t help him. Instead, he sets out on his own with a journalist whose wife has also vanished. The two go on a rampage against the kidnappers to find both of their missing loved ones. I mean, as a journalist, I’ll say that we are all expert martial artists, it comes with the territory.
There’s an incredible amount of talent here, including director Kenji Tanigaki, a stuntman across 50+ different films, now turned director. The Furious is easily his highest-profile, best film to date.
As for its stars, we have Joe Taslim, a widely popular actor and martial artist, last seen in Mortal Kombat. The film is led by Miao Xie. The actor has appeared in 28 movies since 2020, including major productions such as The Monkey King and IP Man: The Awakening. Probably the most prolific star is Yayan Ruhian, who I know you’ve seen in at least a dozen big-name movies, though he’s also in dozens more. We’re talking Boy Kills World, John Wick: Chapter 3, two The Raid movies and even Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He’s a big deal.
The Furious is definitely one of the highest-profile, highest-scoring action movies of the last decade, an instant classic that will live on far beyond this release. Its box office fortunes are unknown as it is going up against heavy hitters like Obsession, Scary Movie, Masters of the Universe, Backrooms and this weekend, Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day. The film, however, has a reported budget of only $20 million. It’s likely to do very well overseas.
Debating between The Furious and Disclosure Day, I think I’m going to have to go with The Furious, as it truly seems like an all-timer. I’ll report back with a review soon.
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