\n<\/p>\n
\n\tAction choreographer-turned-director Tanigaki Kenji is betting that audiences are hungry for authentic martial arts cinema. His new film, \u201cThe Furious,\u201d which world premieres at the Toronto Film Festival\u2018s Midnight Madness section Sept. 6, brings together what may be the most formidable collection of Asian action talent since Hong Kong\u2019s golden age.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI want to tell the world that we are still alive and we are capable to do even better action movie for the world,\u201d says veteran producer Bill Kong, whose credits include \u201cCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon\u201d and \u201cHero.\u201d Kong, who hadn\u2019t made a martial arts film in years, was drawn back to the genre after reflecting on its current state. \u201cIt\u2019s been over 10 years since \u2018The Raid\u2019 came out. Where are all the great martial art formations anymore?,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe answer, Kong and Tanigaki believe, lies in \u201cThe Furious,\u201d a child trafficking thriller that follows two men \u2014 a father searching for his kidnapped daughter and a journalist looking for his missing wife \u2014 as they unleash their combat skills against a criminal syndicate in an unnamed Southeast Asian country. After TIFF, the film screens in Busan\u2019s Midnight Passion strand.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe film\u2019s pan-Asian cast reads like a who\u2019s who of contemporary action cinema. Xie Miao, who starred alongside Jet Li in classics like \u201cThe New Legend of Shaolin,\u201d plays the desperate father Wang Wei. Joe Taslim of \u201cThe Raid: Redemption\u201d portrays journalist Navin, while the ensemble includes Thai action star Jeeja Yanin (\u201cChocolate\u201d), Indonesian martial artist Yayan Ruhian, Japanese-American fighter Joey Iwanaga and rising star Brian Le.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cEvery actor has their unique background,\u201d explains Tanigaki, whose choreography credits include \u201cSPL,\u201d \u201cFlash Point\u201d and the recent Hong Kong blockbuster \u201cTwilight of the Warriors: Walled In.\u201d \u201cI just bring their pureness and their uniqueness.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tFor Taslim, the project represented both a creative challenge and a personal mission. \u201cI\u2019m quite picky, because even though people know me as an action guy, action should complement story, and story needs to be the main thing,\u201d he says. The Indonesian actor was particularly drawn to the film\u2019s exploration of child trafficking in Southeast Asia. \u201cIt\u2019s something personal to me. I have three kids. This is a story in Southeast Asia that\u2019s still happening now, that people need to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat sets \u201cThe Furious\u201d apart from typical action fare is its commitment to authenticity. Tanigaki, who has spent over 20 years as Donnie Yen\u2019s key collaborator, ensured that each fight sequence showcased the actors\u2019 genuine martial arts skills without relying heavily on stunt doubles.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe action is very different from \u2018Walled In,’\u201d Tanigaki notes. \u201cWe are very focused on realism, and I\u2019m satisfied that we are pushing the boundaries of martial arts movies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe film\u2019s centerpiece is a climactic five-way fight sequence set in a police station that required an extensive 18-day shoot, which Kong describes as \u201cbigger than anything because it\u2019s something that you rarely see.\u201d The scene brings together five fighters from different backgrounds, each driven by their own fury.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cEverybody angry. Everybody furious. That\u2019s why this movie is called \u2018Furious,\u2019\u201d says the helmer.<\/p>\n
\n\tTaslim compares the challenge to a musical performance: \u201cIf you want to create great art, there is a sacrifice you have to pay. In action scenes, sometimes it\u2019s safe to use the double, but there\u2019s something missing. It\u2019s a song \u2014 you cannot replace a vocalist in between when there\u2019s a high note.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile \u201cThe Furious\u201d pays tribute to martial arts classics \u2014 including Bruce Lee\u2019s \u201cThe Big Boss\u201d \u2014 the filmmakers see it as a progression rather than mere nostalgia. The film evolves from 1970s-style homage to contemporary action sensibilities.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe production, shot entirely in Bangkok, includes numerous Easter eggs for genre fans, from costume choices to fight choreography references. But Tanigaki emphasizes that the emotional core drives everything.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cEvery time choreography and action and emotion must stick, must walk together,\u201d he says. \u201cWe have that mutual goal to make a very emotional action film.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tKong sees \u201cThe Furious\u201d as part of a broader mission to reinvigorate Asian action cinema for global audiences. \u201cWe want to tell the world that there are still good action, martial art films. We are here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe film\u2019s journey reflects this ambition. XYZ Films, known for \u201cThe Raid\u201d franchise and \u201cThe Night Comes for Us,\u201d is handling international sales, while Kong\u2019s Edko Films will distribute in greater China.<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile the filmmakers remain focused on audience reception, they\u2019re optimistic about continuing their collaboration. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing I want more than to work with the same team of people,\u201d Kong says when asked about potential sequels.<\/p>\n
\n\tTaslim echoes the sentiment: \u201cIt\u2019s a dream team. \u2026 working with Bill and Tanigaki, it was an honor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAs martial arts cinema seeks to reclaim its global prominence, \u201cThe Furious\u201d represents both a return to authentic action filmmaking and a statement of intent from industry veterans determined to prove that great fight choreography and compelling storytelling can still captivate worldwide audiences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Action choreographer-turned-director Tanigaki Kenji is betting that audiences are hungry for authentic martial arts cinema. His new film, \u201cThe Furious,\u201d which world premieres at the Toronto Film Festival\u2018s Midnight Madness section Sept. 6, brings together what may be the most formidable collection of Asian action talent since Hong Kong\u2019s golden age. \u201cI want to tell<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[955,11966,11965,9300,6029,5055,3895,7178],"class_list":{"0":"post-19522","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-assembles","10":"tag-crouching","11":"tag-furious","12":"tag-martial","13":"tag-producer","14":"tag-stars","15":"tag-tiger"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}