Fistful of Vengeance (2022) – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)
Even if you didn’t watch Wu Assassin in 2019, you could easily pick up what Fistful of Vengeance wants you to get – a whole lot of stylized fight scenes.
[Unless Said Otherwise] Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Even if you didn’t watch Wu Assassin in 2019, you could easily pick up what Fistful of Vengeance wants you to get – a whole lot of stylized fight scenes.
| Director(s) | Rosel Reiné |
| Screenplay By | Cameron Litvack, Jessica Chou, Yalun Tu |
| Date Released | 2/17/2022 |
| Where To Watch | Netflix |
| Genre(s) | Action, Adventure, Fantasy |
| Duration | 1 Hour 36 Minutes |
| Content Rating | TV-MA |
| Noted Cast | |
| Tommy | Lawrence Kao |
| Lu Xin | Lewis Tan |
| Kai | Iko Uwais |
| Preeya | Francesca Corney |
| Ku Ai Qi | Yayaying Rhatha Phongam |
| William | Jason Tobin |
| Agent Zulu | Pearl Thusi |
Film Summary
After the death of his sister, Tommy, alongside friends Lu Xin and Kai, are hunting for her murdered and find themselves in Bangkok, Thailand. There they learn the head of the criminal underworld, Ku An Qi, is responsible and finds themselves battling her, and potentially a God.
Cast & Character Guide
Please Note: This is not an exhaustive list of every cast member.
Tommy
Tommy sees himself as the Charlie of Charlie’s Angels when it comes to his three friends, for while Kai and Lu Xin have an unfathomable level of strength and skill, he mostly works behind the scenes – unless he needs to be front and center.
Lu Xin
While, unlike Kai, Lu Xin doesn’t have god-like powers, his ass-kicking abilities would make you think otherwise.
Kai
Known as the Wu Assassin, Kai fights off evil forces across the world, and with the death of Tommy’s sister coinciding with taking on beings who represent yin and yang, he has found his next target.
Preeya
Preeya is a Thailand native and love interest of Tommy, who aides him and the team in finding a way to get to Ku An Qi, and defeating her
Ku An Qi
Ku An Qi is one-half of the now split Pan Gu and has god-level control over their own and other people’s bodies. Also, they are a a notable figure in the criminal underworld.
William
The ying to Ku An Qi’s yang, William owns a major company in Thailand and paints themselves to be a far better being than their twin.
Agent Zulu
Agent Zulu is Lu Xin’s love interest who works for Interpol and was hunting Ku An Qi.
Other Noteworthy Information
- Reason(s) for Film Rating: Nudity (Bare Breasts and behind), Gore, sexual situations
Review
Highlights
You Don’t Necessarily Have To Watch Wu Assassin To Understand What’s Going On
Disclaimer: I have not watched Wu Assassins nor remember it existing on Netflix’s platform. I entered this thinking it was a standalone fighting movie. Yet, even without the background, through flashbacks and relationships fleshed out enough to get a feel for who is who, I would say watching this movie is like skipping a book when adapted. Yes, you can tell some information has been simplified, and you are getting what needs to be known, but by no means do you feel that you can’t pick up and enjoy yourself without getting through the source material.
With that said, the story often gives you enough to string together the fight scenes but is by no means does the story strongly draw you in.
On The Fence
The Action Is Well-Choreographed But You Won’t Flinch
When it comes to the fight scenes, only Agent Zulu uses guns, and while many have magical powers, the overwhelming majority of fights are punches, kicks, and grabs. This, at times, can be exciting, but between songs often being used during the fight scenes and no push for the sound to make blows flinch worthy, fights lose their luster quickly.
Mind you, they are intricately choreographed, but in the process of having the moves down, they don’t seem natural and lack an Atomic Blonde level of impact to help you understand, beyond blood and vocal noises, how much something really hurt.
Overall
Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)
Not necessarily having the strongest story is fine, but Fistful of Vengeance messes up by not giving the fight scenes you expect. For while bloody affairs with expertly choreographed fights, there is the lack of oomph in the hits, and the sounds used in the film don’t add onto each fist or kick’s impact. Leaving you with a decent story, okay performances, and the type of fight scenes that may not make you want to watch the series to get the full scoop but will not make Fistful of Vengeance feel like a waste of your time.
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