‘The Furious’ Director Discusses Complex Climactic Fight Scene Details
Kenji Tanigaki’s The Furious centers on a fundamental principle: action should stem from character rather than mere spectacle. In a recent interview with /Film, Tanigaki elaborated on his approach to fight scenes and the film’s departure from typical Hollywood set pieces like car chases or explosions.
He mentioned that he doesn’t adhere to a rigid philosophy when crafting action. Instead, he tailors everything to the characters and their unique fighting backgrounds. The diverse martial arts styles of the cast serve as the foundation for each fight.
Tanigaki stated, “My philosophy is no philosophy, because I work for the stories and I work for the character.” He emphasized that the actors’ authentic skills influence how scenes are constructed, referencing Xie Miao’s wushu expertise, Joe Taslim’s judo background, and Yayan Ruhian’s pencak silat technique.
For him, choreography transcends mere memorization of moves. It’s about actors fully grasping and adapting movements as they would with dialogue.
He remarked, “Remembering choreography doesn’t mean anything. It’s not the goal, but the starting point.”
This methodology encourages the cast to move beyond rote repetition, transforming the action into something more fluid and expressive. Tanigaki believes this enhances the quality of the fights, allowing each character to feel unique. The distinct fighting styles and backgrounds of each character contribute to the film’s varied action sequences.
He also clarified that The Furious does not aim to replicate Hollywood blockbusters. Instead, the film emphasizes hand-to-hand combat and grounded martial arts over large-scale destruction.
He explained, “We are not good at shooting a car chase or car explosion… Our strong point is back to the basic martial arts.”
Despite its grounded approach, the film incorporates humorous moments amidst the violence. Tanigaki expressed that he is not interested in gratuitous gore. Instead, he prefers action that can occasionally take on an exaggerated form, eliciting surprise or laughter from the audience.
He stated, “Even the violence [should be] over-the-top, make the audience laughing.”
One of the film’s most unique concepts is the climactic fight sequence, which features chaotic elements like improvised weapons and unpredictable movements. Tanigaki shared that even everyday objects became integral to the action during development. For instance, a bicycle was introduced as both a practical tool and a weapon after a creative discussion with the screenwriter.
As the film approaches its final act, the complexity of the action escalates dramatically. Tanigaki described the concluding fight as the most challenging aspect of production, taking 18 nights to film and involving multiple characters with shifting alliances.
He remarked, “I must say the ending fight for sure, because it was very complicated… we spent 18 nights on that set.”
The final battle features five fighters from different factions engaging simultaneously, with constantly changing matchups. According to Tanigaki, this structure made the scene both exhausting and innovative.
He explained, “It’s very complicated… but very fun. At least I have never watched this kind of situation in a fight.”
The Furious is currently in theaters, and Tanigaki hopes that strong audience support will pave the way for a sequel.
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