The Furious is a high-octane martial arts action film directed by renowned action choreographer Kenji Tanigaki, starring Xie Miao and Joe Taslim. It generated significant global buzz with a strong $19.6 million opening-weekend performance when it released on June 12 with its theatrical debut in Hong Kong, before expanding globally. The film is about a mute father who goes on a rampage to rescue his abducted daughter, joining hands with a journalist (Joe) to take down a criminal empire. Critics have hailed it as one of the best action movies to come out in the last few years, and talks are rife about a sequel.
In an interaction with The Free Press Journal, Xie opens up about the challenges of playing a mute character, the action sequences, and more.
Excerpts:
Was it difficult learning sign language since you were playing a mute character?
“The hardest part wasn’t memorizing the basic signs. The real challenge was unifying your emotions with your hands. Your facial expressions and the ‘feel’ of your signs have to be perfectly synchronized; otherwise, it just looks like you’re performing a mechanical gesture. To me, that emotional expression is the toughest part of sign language, far harder than just memorizing the vocabulary.”
Everyone’s been talking about the practical hammer-throw sequence. How did that materialise?
“I asked him, ‘Do we really have that much time? I honestly thought it was impossible. I figured we’d try it for fun, fail, and then just use CG or some other trick.’”
...and you successfully completed the stunt after 32 takes.
“When I finally caught it, it was magical. I was like, ‘We actually did it?’ I think that shot represents the attitude of this film. It’s not just about the hammer; it’s about our style. We do things for real. No faking.”
Your character has an unconventional fighting style. What are your thoughts on it?
“Personally, I prefer a bit of distance when I’m punching and kicking; it feels more natural to me. But this role had none of that. I was actually joking after we finished that I don’t think I landed a single punch with my fist in the whole movie! It was all shoulders, hips, and body checks. It’s a very fresh, novel approach to action.”
Anything you learnt from the action choreography?
“It showed me that anything is possible. That every inch of the body can be used as a weapon.”
The finale has you fighting five others. What does it take to achieve something like that?
“It goes beyond just memorizing a sequence of moves. It requires years of professional training and countless hours of practice. You need to be able to perform instinctively so that you aren’t just thinking about your own body’s form. At that level, your focus isn’t even on the moves; it’s on the timing. You’re coordinating with four other people, so you have to know exactly when to enter the fray, when to disengage, and when to pivot back in.”
