Bangkok – Veteran producer Charles Kong, known for his work on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has assembled an international cast of martial arts stars for The Furious, a new action film shot entirely in Bangkok and poised to reinvigorate the genre for global audiences. The project, handled internationally by XYZ Films and distributed in greater China by Kong’s Edko Films, aims to blend classic martial arts homage with contemporary action sensibilities.
The film’s director,whose name was not immediately available,stated the core concept: “Everybody angry. Everybody furious. That’s why this movie is called ‘Furious.'” The Furious draws inspiration from martial arts classics like Bruce Lee’s The Big Boss, but filmmakers emphasize a progression beyond mere nostalgia, incorporating numerous Easter eggs for genre fans within its fight choreography and costume design.
Indonesian martial artist Iko Uwais, alongside other cast members, embraced the challenge of performing much of their own stunt work. Uwais likened the commitment to a musical performance, explaining, “If you want to create great art, ther is a sacrifice you have to pay. In action scenes, sometimes it’s safe to use the double, but there’s something missing. It’s a song – you cannot replace a vocalist in between when there’s a high note.”
Choreographer Tanigaki stressed the importance of emotional resonance alongside the action, stating, “Every time choreography and action and emotion must stick, must walk together. We have that mutual goal to make a very emotional action film.”
Kong views The furious as part of a larger effort to re-establish Asian action cinema on the world stage. “We want to tell the world that there are still good action, martial art films. We are here,” he said. Both Kong and Uwais expressed enthusiasm for potential sequels and continuing their collaboration, describing the team as a “dream team” and an “honor” to work with.
