WhenLiam Neesonstarred inTaken, he probably did not know he was going to be the face of the revitalized revenge thriller genre of action movies. Since then, he has starred in dozens of action films playing a similar type of character: a person whose attempt at a normal life is thwarted when their violent past must be revisited to seek vengeance. Neeson is not the only one who has mastered this form.Denzel Washingtonhas found great success in theEqualizerfranchise.Keanu Reevesmay take the crown for thisarchetype thanks to his spectacular run ofJohn Wickfilms. But those movies go a little beyondTakenin terms of world-building and focusing on more than a simple tale of revenge.
The best example of a movie that successfully tells an uncomplicated revenge story in a post-Takenworld does not come from America, but Vietnam.Furie, directed byLe-Van Kiet, starsNgô Thanh Vân(also goes byVeronica Ngô) as Hai Phượng, a skilled martial artist with former gang ties who is brought back into the criminal underworld after her daughter is kidnapped.Furieis a high-tension, fast-paced thriller that found success in Vietnam and America alike. At the end of its initial run,Furiewas the most commercially successful Vietnamese film in history. The success is well-earned, asFurieis a real treat for action fans. The film proves that there can still be refreshing variations on theTakenform.Ngô steps into the role of an action hero masterfully, balancing her grief as a mother in search of a child with a primal, graceful rage that ensures absolutely no one will stand in her way.Furieis worth watching for this performance alone, but the action sequences and beautiful filmmaking that made the movie a crossover hit prove that the rapidly growing Vietnamese film industry is one to keep an eye on.
When her daughter is kidnapped, a desperate yet determined mother treks through her former gang’s turf in Saigon to track down the abductors.
How Do ‘Taken’ and ‘Furie’ Compare as Revenge Thrillers?
WhenTakenwas released in 2008, the film was a smash hit that completely re-defined Liam Neeson’s career while also revitalizing the action thriller genre. The gritty, quick-cut style which was popularized by theBournefilms continued here, and the story is effectively compelling as Neeson fights for his daughter’s rescue. Although the film has a few flaws– two teenagers in 2008 being such hardcore U2 fans that they would travel around Europe following them on tour–Takenremains one of the high points for 21st-century action movies.
Taken was theDie Hardof the 2000s, in that it is a go-to for action movie pitches that can essentially be boiled down to “It’sTakenbut ona plane” ora train, withwolves instead of criminals, underwater, in space, etc. The possibilities are endless, and Liam Nesson will probably do all of these eventually.Despite still taking on dramatic roles in films likeSilence, Neeson made a fairly definitive shift toward action movies afterTakencame out.However, few of these films have been as well-received (see the infamousTaken 3fence jumpto get an idea of how bad it can get), and none of Neeson’s later forays into the revenge genre have managed to match the efficiency in craft and storytelling ofTaken.
Furiedoes exactly that, taking the classic revenge movie format to a refreshing new setting. A trend that has caused many action movies in America to buckle recently is thatblockbusters are consistently feeling the need to push into run-times over 2 hours. Some films absolutely earn this runtime, and afilm should be exactly as long or short as the story necessitates. Revenge thrillers like this, with simple setups and plots that are based on tried-and-true formulas, are best kept as lean thrillers.Furieis a brisk 90-minute thriller, a movie that cuts through all the weighty exposition and communicates everything you need to know about the characters through the performances.The quick pace allowsFurieto get right to what we all came to see, the beautifully staged, brutal action sequences.Furiecontrasts withTaken’s quick-cutting, stylized fight coverage by emphasizing the fluidity and dance-like quality of martial arts.Takenis a visually striking action film and the style works in that context, butFurieoffers a greater display of craft in how the fights are depicted.
Veronica Ngô Holds Her Own as an Action Hero in ‘Furie’
Ngô has been moving back and forth between American and Vietnam films over the last few years, with impressive supporting performances in films such asThe Old Guard,Da 5 Bloods, and, most recently,The Creator. While she is not a household name in American movies, Ngô had a star-worthy turn as Paige Tico inThe Last Jedi, a near-silent performance in the opening sequence of the film which has as much pathos and heart behind it as a seasoned actor can muster with pages of dialogue. The star turn that Ngô deserved would come withFurie, a movie that rests entirely on the strength of her dramatic acting and her physicality in combat.
The resigned look on her face as it becomes clear she will have to revisit her dark past, and turn back to her ruthless ways communicates so much about how formidable she is in combat. The question then becomes how well she sells it when the blows are exchanged, andNgô brings everything she has to these fight sequences. Per an interview with Korea JoongAng Daily,Ngô trained for six months in preparation forFurieand performed almost all of her fight scenes without the use of a stunt team. She revealed in the same interview that she was not even planning to star in the film originally. As a producer on the project, she was part of the group of people looking for potential actors to take on the role, and they eventually concluded that she was best suited for the part as she already had experience as both an actor and a martial artist.
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Amy Adams stars as a troubled reporter who unravels while revisiting her dark past.
That Ngô was not originally planning to take on the starring role makes it even more impressive that she stands out as much as she does in the film. The lead performance is the heart of the film, and also the driving force for all the standout action sequences. Ngô is a performer who should be on far more peoples' radars. Her appearances in recent American films surely will help with that, but audiences are missing out if they do not see her shine inFurie.
‘Furie’ Has Helped Vietnam’s Film Industry Grow, Spawning a Franchise
Thanks toFurie’s success commercially and critically, a prequel film titledFurieswas released in 2022. The film was directed by Ngô, and she stars in it as well.Furiesfollows Ngô and some younger women in the gang fighting against sex traffickers, which continues athematic thread Ngô found meaningful in the first filmof strong women fighting for their freedom and independence. The prequel received positivereviews from major American outlets such as Varietyand was commercially successful in Vietnam. Although there was no theatrical release in America, the Netflix release makes it quite accessible for American audiences, assuming it stays on the platform for a lengthy period. Seeing this film as a potential franchise starter is a great sign that Vietnam will have a stronger presence in the international film market going forward, and it is great for anyone who appreciates a well-made action movie with real martial artists working on screen.
Furiesis one of the few popular Vietnamese films to release in the last few years. WhileFuriedid hold the box office record in its home country for a time, two newer releases have taken that spot.This points to a sign that the Vietnamese film industry is beginning to pick up a lot of steam, andFuriewas the film that seems to have broken that open as it achieved an unprecedented status as a crossover hit outside of Vietnam. With spectacular action films likeThe RaidandThe Night Comes For Uscoming from Indonesia, Southeast Asia has long had a special piece of the market carved out for martial arts cinema.Furie, and the subsequent prequel, show that Vietnam may be staking a claim in the next few years.
It would be a great pleasure to see Ngô continue to find success within this franchise and other original Vietnamese properties, while also continuing to branch out into American films. She is a talented, fierce performer who seems to have a solid grasp of filmmaking as well. As Ngô emerges as one of the most exciting figures in the Vietnamese film industry, we can only hope that someday, she has a chance to take her crack at theTaken 3fence jump.
