'John Wick' meets 'The Raid' in new bonkers action thriller blowing up on streaming

Action movies have certainly benefited from CGI and other visual enhancements, but ask any action fan what truly captivates them, and they'll likely point to something far more realistic. There's an unmatched thrill in watching expertly choreographed hand-to-hand combat, where punches land with bone-crunching force and whatever objects happen to be nearby become brutal improvised weapons. The Raid has, since its 2011 release, remained the undisputed gold standard of hyper-violent action, even inspiring the endlessly entertaining John Wickafter it. While it may be a while before we see any new entry from either franchise, a newly released Hong Kong action thriller has channeled the best of both, and American audiences are loving it.

The year has so far seen an impressive slate of films across virtually every major genre. Sci-fi fans have had their fix with releases like Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, and Project Hail Mary, while anticipation continues to build for Dune: Part Three. Horror has also enjoyed a surprisingly strong year thanks to standouts likeBackrooms and Obsession, while lighter fare such as The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Super Mario Galaxy Moviehas helped balance out the year's more intense offerings. This weekend, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is poised to give fantasy its own moment. Then, when it comes to raw, brutal action, no film has made a bigger impression than the Hong Kong martial arts thriller The Furious.

Directed by Kenji Tanigaki, The Furious premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 to unanimous acclaim. The martial arts thriller debuted with a perfect 100% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes before eventually settling at a still-exceptional 98% as more reviews were added. Remarkably, that momentum carried through the film's lengthy wait for its June 12 theatrical release, despite opening in a year packed with blockbuster competition. With its U.S. theatrical release being limited, growing interest in the movie prompted its digital release to arrive early, moving it from July 17 to July 7 to serve its growing audience. Now, a week into its digital debut, the film has consistently ranked among the Top 10 titles on major platforms in the U.S., including Amazon, Apple TV, and Google, as well as in the UK and Ireland.

What Is 'The Furious' About?

Like John Wick, revenge is what drives The Furious's protagonists. The film follows an ordinary man determined to dismantle the criminal organization responsible for kidnapping his daughter. His search for justice leads him to an unlikely ally in a journalist who has also suffered at the hands of the same syndicate. Their vengeful warpath brings them through wave after wave of deadly adversaries, resulting in the kind of relentlessly choreographed martial arts set pieces that action fans live for. The film boasts an impressive ensemble of genre veterans, including Ip Man star Xie Miao, Warrior and Mortal Kombat actor Joe Taslim, The Raid andMortal Kombat star Yayan Ruhian, Brian Le, and Thai martial arts icon JeeJa Yanin.

The Furious is now available to stream across major digital platforms. Given its relentless buzz, one of the big streamers is likely to snap up its streaming rights soon. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.