Spoiler Free

Fistful of Vengeance is a fun action-packed, non-stop adrenaline rush that continues the lore of the popular netflix original Wu Assassins. It’s a solid movie that plays it safe, the story and the dialogue can be a little silly, but ultimately we’re watching for the ass-kicking.

Fistful of Vengeance

A revenge mission becomes a fight to save the world from an ancient threat when superpowered assassin Kai tracks a killer to Bangkok.

Starring:Iko Uwais, Lewis Tan, Lawrence Kao

The Sequel to the martial arts netflix original Wu Assassins: Fistful of Vengeance drops this week. The supernatural action flick stars Iko Uwais (The Raid), Lewis Tan (Mortal Kombat) and Lawrence Kao (Max Steel) as they reprise their roles in the mystical world filled with gangs, superhumans and the ancient power of “Wu.” Uwais, the impressive and notable star of The Raid series has become a household name for action fans. Alongside Lewis Tan, best known for Into The Badlands and Mortal Kombat, these two are definitely a deadly combo and fun to watch.

The film picks up wit the guys on a mission in Thailand to avenge the murder of Tommy’s sister Jenny. The hunt for clues brings the crew to Bangkok, where they ultimately confront more than a killer, they are now on a mission to save the entire world. Although technically a sequel, the film is not being marketed as one, as viewers can still watch Vengeance without necessarily watching the entire Wu season. The movie serves as kind of a stand alone film as even the trailer doesn’t reveal it’s linked to the show. Viewers unfamiliar with Wu Assassins can always go back and watch the series if they enjoyed the film. (highly recommend if you want to learn about the mysticism)

Fistful of Vengeance. (L to R) Lawrence Kao as Tommy Wah, Iko Uwais, Lewis Tan as Lu Xin Lee as Kai in Fistful of Vengeance. Cr. Patrick Brown/Netflix © 2021

In Wu Assassins, we were introduced to Kai Jin (Uwais), a young Chinatown chef who got entangled with the Chinese Triads pursuit of the deadly ancient power known as the “Wu Xing.” Kai ultimately becomes the next Wu Assassin after discovering he is the 1,000th member of a long line of Assassins and must kill the five Wu Warlords who wield the power (fire, wood, earth, metal, and water). He absorbs powers and uses his enhanced martial arts skills to stop these supernatural criminals from destroying the world.

Although the cast is enjoyable and the fighting sequences are badass the movie does fall flat in other areas. Like its predecessor “Vengeance” relies heavily on its action sequences and it’s overall popular casting, but is it enough to make this a good film? The first season (Wu Assassins) received predominantly positive reviews, although the critics praised the fight choreography there was much criticism of the plot. However, Wu Assassins seems to actually have a more meticulous plot overall than this film. The series introduced us to the assassins, the history and the mysticism. The film doesn't really delve into the supernatural making it difficult for new viewers to interpret what is going on. Viewers may still have many questions about what is actually happening or the significance that the Wu carries.

The movie has a short run-time of only 1h 36m, forcing the movie to rush it’s third act. The villains came off a bit cheesy as well as some of the dialog throughout the film. The CGI and overall special effects were pretty terrible, which ruins the whole supernatural premise. The ending was kind of anti-climatic due to the poor visual effects which in turn did no justice to villain William Pan, played by Jason Tobin (Warrior).

The explosions, fight scenes and brutality were totally worth it though. The set designs were also immaculate and stunning. The fight scenes were action packed from the exciting opening sequence all throughout the entire movie. The film also featured James Bond level gadgets and awesome camera angles capturing badass fighting sequences. We are also introduced to a new addition to the team Adaku, (Pearl Thusi) who is a no-nonsense fighter that proves she is so much more than a pretty face as she fights alongside the crew.

Overall 6.5: Ultimately, the problems in Fistful of Vengeance are not bad enough to make you stop watching. There are loads of great fight scenes that make this movie still worth a watch.

Fun action packed, short run time, wonky cgi, some plot holes but great set designs, cool gadgets and lots of ass kicking.

Coming Thursday

Iko Uwais ("The Raid"), Lewis Tan ("Mortal Kombat") and Lawrence Kao ("Max Steel") star in this supernatural action film.

Synopsis

Super-powered assassin Kai and friends Lu Xin and Tommy track a killer from San Francisco's Chinatown to Thailand to avenge the death of a loved one. But their hunt soon entangles them with old enemies, a mysterious billionaire and an ancient mystical force bent on taking over the world. Iko Uwais (The Raid) stars with Lewis Tan (Mortal Kombat), Lawrence Kao (Max Steel) and Pearl Thusi (Queen Sono) in this fast-and-furious martial arts action film.

ARTICLES

Review: Wu Assassins Continues with a “Fistful of Vengeance”