June 11, 2026 (NYC)– The Furious (2026) Will Leave You Speechless.   A look at The Furious, the latest martial arts release to hits US theaters tomorrow. Here is a synopsis and review of this Lionsgate  and XYZ Films release.

After the daughter of Wang Wei (Xie Miao) is kidnapped by a criminal network and he receives no help from the corrupt police, Wei sets out on a rampage to find her himself. His only ally is Navin (Joe Taslim) – a relentless journalist whose wife has mysteriously disappeared. Fueled by a furious vengeance, the unlikely duo ruthlessly fights against the kidnappers in this explosive martial arts showdown.

REVIEW:

The Furious is a hyper-violent, Hong Kong style martial arts action film released by Lionsgate.  The story centers around two independent characters, played by Joe Taslim and Xie Miao, whose lives and quests become intersected due to two family tragedies perpetrated by the same crime syndicate.  Taslim’s wife, a reporter, becomes the victim of the ruthless Asian gang that kidnapped Miao’s daughter as part of a child, sex trafficking ring.

As these two impassioned men search for their family members they uncover multi-layered and systemic corruption that makes their task almost insurmountable.   Insurmountable, perhaps, if this wasn’t a thrilling and violent martial arts action movie.

The Furious takes place in an unspecified part of Asia, but the themes of sex trafficking, domestic violence, police corruption, gang violence, and the desire of good people to protect their loved ones are universal themes.  These themes transcend martial arts films, and, perhaps, that is part of the reason the film is so powerful.

Kenji Tanigaki‘s Direction is sharp and engaging.  He is no stranger to the genre and he is a good storyteller.  His body of work is impressive; however, The Furious is the culmination of it all and is his best picture.  He collaborates here with Kensuke Somomura for the highly charged, explosive, unique, and plentiful fight choreography this film is littered with.   This is a bold undertaking.    It breaks new grounds in martial arts action and delivers fight choreography that is unequalled in its uniqueness, visceral nature, and visual satisfaction.    It is really, really good stuff.

The cast is stellar.   While many of them may be unknown to American audiences they are seasoned actors and martial arts, action stars.  They bring their “A” game here.    Taslim, the most well known member of the cast has been impressive in his work in The Raid Films, The Night Comes For Us, Mortal Kombat, and the Bruce Lee series, Warrior.  He has a great warmth on screen, and is a fantastic martial artist and action star.

The film actually stars Xie Miao as the mute handyman in search of his daughter.  He has proven his skill and screen presence in other films such as An Eye for an Eye and Ip Man: Awakening, but he really comes into his own here.   He is as appealing a leading male as he is an action star.  His humanity shines through.

The film’s villains include Brian Le (The Paper Tigers) in a role that reminded me of a cross between Bolo in Enter The Dragon and a James Bond Villain. Yayan Ruhian, the Indonesian star, continues to be a delightful screen presence.  He is the embodiment of dynamic martial arts villain, and he is great in The Furious. Joey Iwanaga, a Japanese star, combines his strong presence and deadly Taekwondo skills to make a memorable villain.

The children of The Furious are a terrific addition.  They understand their assignments and they play their roles without overplaying them.

The Furious has many stunning action and fight sequences; however, the climactic fight scene is one of the most unique and groundbreaking sequences ever filmed in a martial arts movie.  It combines elements from other films, contrasts different martial arts styles, and manages to create a visual, bloody, violent masterpiece.   I expect this groundbreaking fight sequence will set a new standard that other action films will try, desperately, to emulate.

The Furious is the one of the best action and martial arts film I have seen this year.  I intend to see it again.   See this one in the theater if you can; it is a great theatrical experience.   The audience where I saw it was really engaged.

The film is violent and brutal in parts.

I highly recommend The Furious.

DETAILS:

The Furious,  from Lionsgate  and XYZ Films, debuts in theaters, on June 12, 2026.

The film contains English subtitles in parts, but is easy to follow.

–review by Master Marc Zirogiannis