The Furious Written by Anthony “Ant” Johnson

My earliest memories of film are of action films. Flying kicks, a flurry of blows to the stomach widened my eyes and imagination, and was probably the most exciting thing a little boy growing up in the ’80s could see. I vividly remember thinking it was all real and that the folks who didn’t survive the end of the story must have been real-life criminals sentenced to death, banished to these films to meet their maker. Crazy, right? Heck, maybe that’s a film in itself. Nevertheless, thankfully that’s not true — instead there are insanely talented stunt people and martial artists to perform these scenes. The Furious literally fights its way through three (add ½ if you really want to go there) acts of high-octane action.

The plot is straightforward: a loving father with a mysterious past has his daughter abducted by a ring of child sex traffickers, and he won’t stop until he saves her. Nazis, zombies, wife-beaters, rapists, and the crown jewel — sex traffickers — are at the top of the list of evil characters who deserve a first-class ticket to hell. Just the kind of villains you want for almost two hours of beat downs. The Furious does not disappoint in that respect. Where it falls short is in the diversity of those beat downs and the ways one can be — let’s just say — immobilized. At times fight scenes are redundant and run too long. Also, CGI blood should be banned from Hollywood. I’d rather see no blood than digital blood. If the practical effects aren’t in the budget, come up with another shot. It cheapens the quality of the film and the story. Even with those minor technical setbacks, the film is still solid and stands strong amongst its peers.

My Verdict: The Furious is fun and a great ride. Like that little boy from the ’80s, my eyes were wide and I could rest easy knowing they were all actors — and there was no loss of life in the making of this film, or at least none that I know of. Pure entertainment that does not take itself too seriously. Escapism executed to perfection, with a clear story and a beginning, middle, and end. There’s absolutely room for a Part II and I’ll have a front row seat should that come to fruition. The Furious gets a roundhouse 8/10 right to the temple. If you’re not sure, that’s a good thing — go check it out at the movie theater. Definitely worth the price of a ticket, popcorn, and a blue frozen thingy. That is my honest recommendation. I stand by it.

Ant’s Score: 8/10