'The Furious' delivers Hong Kong action's best in a decade

Creators of the acclaimed martial arts crime thriller "The Furious" told China.org.cn in an exclusive interview how they poured themselves into making the film, which has sent shockwaves through the action genre.

The cast and crew of "The Furious" pose for a photo at the film's China premiere, Beijing, June 10, 2026. [Photo courtesy of Edko Films]

Veteran producer Bill Kong, the man behind the Academy Award-winning martial arts epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000) , said making the film was about answering a question: whether audiences worldwide would still respond to action movies built around Chinese and Asian-style kung fu choreography.

"All through the years, time flies, and audiences change, visual effects change, and the way of seeing films has changed. At first, I was not so sure, and I was nervous," Kong said. "But our biggest goal is to create an action movie that can appeal to the world, including Europe, Africa and South America."

Now he can rest assured. "The Furious" became the breakout hit of the Toronto Film Festival's Midnight Madness section in September 2025. The film subsequently screened at the Busan International Film Festival and numerous other festivals. The film has earned 172 million yuan ($25 million) in China since its June 11 debut, while its day-and-date North American release has grossed $5.26 million so far.

The film has earned exceptionally strong word-of-mouth, with many calling it the "best action movie in a decade." Kung fu legends Jet Li and Donnie Yen have both said it marks a new chapter in martial arts cinema, with Li calling it "an extreme action movie." On Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 125 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10. 

Directed by Kenji Tanigaki, the Hong Kong action film stars Xie Miao as Wang Wei, an ordinary man who teams up with journalist Navin, played by Joe Taslim, to rescue his kidnapped daughter from an international crime syndicate that abuses and kills children.

Channeling Hong Kong action cinema's golden age, the film features authentic martial arts and hand-to-hand combat performed by an international cast of elite fighters, including Xie, Taslim, Brian Le, Yayan Ruhian and Joey Tee.

Xie told China.org.cn that when Kong first approached him, he agreed immediately without knowing anything about the project. "I just knew if it was going to be produced by Mr. Kong, it would be a high-standard action movie," he said. After learning the full details, he came to believe everyone involved shared the same conviction: "To make one of the best action movies in the world."

Taslim called the cast "a dream team" and praised the script as "beautiful." "It's not just action. It has a strong message about human trafficking, which I believe is a very important message to tell the world," he said.

Though the five action fighters come from different countries and speak different languages, they said the difference was no barrier to communication. Through training, rehearsal and filming, action became its own shared language.

"You know how there's often a Chinese saying of 'making friends through martial arts'? I never really felt that before, but this time I think I felt it very clearly," Taslim added.

A still from "The Furious" shows the five-man combat sequence. [Photo courtesy of Edko Films]

The biggest challenge came from the climactic five-way fight scene. "Five vs. five, in my opinion, is the most complex by design ever created and ever executed," Taslim said, with the other action actors in agreement. "Luckily, I work with the best people, but it was hard — physically hard."

Le said the cast's decades of martial arts and action experience, along with their friendships, helped build a natural dynamic on and off set, making the five-man free-for-all feel less daunting. "Although the five of us are fighting against each other, we're all for the same purpose of creating beautiful art."

For Xie, participating in the film deepened his passion for kung fu cinema.

"The biggest surprise was that it showed me that action films still have room for innovation, that there is still new work to be done," he said."Before this, I was a bit pessimistic — I thought it was very difficult because the past masters had made such great films. But 'The Furious' reignited hope in me. I think there is still great potential ahead."

"We were exposed to many new concepts and movements — things that, based on my previous understanding, I thought were impossible to accomplish," Ruhian said. "For me, it represents a transformation. As long as audiences need us, I will keep fighting and continue to make action films."