Story perspectives

“The Furious” Debuts Bangkok-Set Thriller with Mixed-Martial Arts Spectacle

6/13/2026

Summary

Navin Undercover

The Furious, a Hong Kong action film shot in Bangkok, opened June 12, 2026.
Reporter Matia (Jija Yanin) is killed, prompting husband Navin (Joe Taslim) to go undercover.
Wang Wei trains his daughter Rainy, who is abducted by kidnappers hired by gangster Mr. Song (Sahajak Boonthanakit) and businessman Paklung (Joey Iwanaga).
Director-stunt coordinator Kenji Tanigaki and choreographer Kensuke Sonomura blend kung fu, Muay Thai, Pencak Silat and MMA in fights, earning praise for the climax.

Summary

Furious Visuals

The Furious is co-produced by Edko Films, Zhejiang Hengdian Film and XYZ Films and released by Lionsgate.
Bill Kong, producer of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, joins producers Shan Tam and Frank Hui as a producer on the film.
Cinematographer Meteor Cheung creates an oily chemical radiance look that defines the film’s visual style.
The soundtrack’s grinding guitar riffs accompany fight sequences, prompting audiences to cheer, weep and laugh.

Summary

Hong Kong Debuts

The Hong Kong action thriller opened wide on June 12 2026 after a September 2025 festival premiere.
It was produced on a reported $20 million budget, positioning it as a low-cost contender against summer blockbusters.
Analysts expect strong overseas earnings because the film features an Asian-centric cast and relentless action.
Its opening weekend faces heavyweight releases including Obsession, Scary Movie, Masters of the Universe, Backrooms and Spielberg’s Disclosure Day.

Summary

Tanigaki Ballet

The film is rated R for strong bloody violence and language, limiting younger viewers.
Dialogue appears in Mandarin, Tagalog, Chinese Sign Language, Indonesian and English with subtitles.
Director Tanigaki uses long, unbroken takes to emphasize physical realism and test stamina.
Choreography is treated as dance, likened to ballet and operatic performance.
The ice-factory showdown and police-station raid use kaleidoscopic action in a 1-hour-53-minute runtime of nonstop action without special effects.

History

Historical Context

In 2000 Ang Lee’s wuxia film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, co-produced by Edko Films, earned $213.5 million worldwide and won four Oscars, proving Asian cinema’s global appeal. Its multinational financing sparked a wave of cross-border, multilingual action projects in Hong Kong. The 2026 thriller The Furious, co-produced by Lionsgate, Edko and Zhejiang Hengdian, follows that model with Mandarin, Tagalog and English.

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Navin Undercover

The Furious, a Hong Kong action film shot in Bangkok, opened June 12, 2026.
Reporter Matia (Jija Yanin) is killed, prompting husband Navin (Joe Taslim) to go undercover.
Wang Wei trains his daughter Rainy, who is abducted by kidnappers hired by gangster Mr. Song (Sahajak Boonthanakit) and businessman Paklung (Joey Iwanaga).
Director-stunt coordinator Kenji Tanigaki and choreographer Kensuke Sonomura blend kung fu, Muay Thai, Pencak Silat and MMA in fights, earning praise for the climax.

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