The Rage

Looking backwards to that year 2002 when "Furia" was made, one can easily recognize the heralding sings of today's New Generation in Romania.

The main qualities of "Furia" stand in a very solid script, with a substantial dramatic core and a really professional developing, plus a cast of excellent actors. All four leading roles are admirably performed, both with depth and casualness: Dragos Bucur and Andy Vasluianu confirmed, since then, being two of our best performers today, Dorina Chiriac follows them closely, and Adrian Tuli, a non-professional (in real life, a graveyard manager!) cast as Gabonu, was a genuine revelation!

Further, Radu Muntean's directing is skilled and expressive, creating in a very compelling style that feeling of "a fateful night" and inescapable destiny. One can easily pass over the few awkward and even failed moments, since time proved them to be only the uncertainties inherent to a debut, never repeated in his subsequent movies: "Hârtia va fi albasträ" and "Boogie".

I watched this movie with the Romanian Students Club at the University of Toronto. I was a bit late, so I missed the first few minutes, and at the end we talked about it. The opinions were divided: some felt that the movie is unfair to the Romanian reality as it focuses too much on the criminal element, others didn't like it because they felt it's too Russian, yet some saw similarities with "Snatch" or "28 Days Later" but most were either silent or seemed to have liked it. A singular voice claimed that the movie may be a reflection of the society (was he trying to incite comments?), while others felt that it was a parable. As for me, I found it hard to form an opinion, especially because of the complete lack of any frame of reference. Still, if a comparison is warranted, I've seen some ideas from Tarantino delivered with French candour (an Amores Perros made in Ro?!?). I haven't seen all the Romanian movies made after the fall of the stalinist regime. But of those few that I did see, most were very good, met or exceeded my expectations, and this is no exception.

The movie starts out on a light note, and seems to develop along the beaten path of Hollywood style teen comedies - fortunately, I missed most of this part. Luckily, the director abandons this avenue, the action takes off, drama unfolds, and we watch our heroes living - and dying - on the edge.

The main characters do represent indeed a generation, even though I did not identify with them. I wouldn't call them a "generation of sacrifice" as some did, because all generations in Romania have a claim to that qualifier, with the exception perhaps of those who lived in the interbellic decades (and even for them, those who had it best spent their retirement in prisons, in exile, or in a fetid basement overtaken by anxiety). There is a dark reality of Romanian life, strikingly apparent in the movie, a reality which cannot be denied through PR exercises: there's an appalling lack of horizons and opportunities for the young generation. It's no surprise then that most young Romanians, including our heroes, see immigration as the only way out, as the only hope, but few have the means to take this route.

Yet, despite the gloomy circumstances, the director/writer is able to present an involving, fast paced storyline. The premise is very credible and the actors lively and candid in their interpretation. Some scenes emerge from the uniform desperation as uniquely funny, but we don't even have time to catch our breath and realise it, as we are too involved (the movie was rated as Action/Comedy, but it's more of an Action/Drama in my view).

Certain characters are insufficiently developed, like the hardened thug who had to "take care" of the main (anti)hero. Certain scenes in the movie have their own rhythm and appear interconnected (maybe the scenes where emotions flow without words; words disappear in the background or simply sublimate), such as the spectacle with the two dwarf parents, the scene with Luca's parents or the very end, which is a nefarious conclusion to the search for a way out. The end shouldn't surprise. The hero engaged on a one-way street, and only a miracle could've saved him. But miracles don't happen in this part of the universe, so his struggle to keep his head out of the slimy, green water is destined to fail...

Perhaps the frequent comparisons to other cinema schools are rooted in the lack of awareness about movies from this part of the world. Is it not possible, then, that this movie, like several others before it (The Oak, Filantropica, Occident), is indicative of an increasingly assertive, independent, mature yet still largely unknown Romanian school of cinema?

It is movie about love,violence,illegal affairs and romanian tycoons. A romanian story combined with an occidental adaption resulting in a modern international film that can be understood both by western audiences but as well by eastern European audiences that HAVE LONG forgotten about the conservative comunist regim over film-making.

A film full of violent fight scenes that are very numerous and create more and more tensed situations as the movie goes on .

A story that impresses because of its view over the hard life from the neighbourhood. Two young men do illegal car races. They work together as a team and prosper from their occupation ,but when they are asked by a local tycoon to lose one race things start to get messy and the fuse from the bomb lights up creating a very tensionated movie that will keep you close to the screen until the ending of it when you will still be asking yourself a lot of questions long after that.

Brilliant acting both by Dragos Bucur and Dorina Chiriac along with high quality directing and screen writing by the young but talented director Radu Muntean also give a unique charm to Furia. All this and many other elements that can be noticed while watching have created a must see movie by all the filmlovers around the world and its message is clear to all not depending of race ,language we speak or country. It is a real hope for the Romanian cinema as it tries to keep up with the more advanced occidental cinema.

I hope you enjoy watching it as I'm sure that all the people that have seen it liked it and understood it.

This is an unsuccessful imitation of Guy Ritchie's "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and other movies in this genre. It starts on a dynamic tone but it looses pace and seems a lot longer than its 84 minutes running time. It's not a funny movie, nor does it address a serious issue. It's a gruesome black movie with no message. This movie is also hard to follow for non-Romanians and leaves an empty feeling to Romanians and international audience alike. It could be a good student movie, but it's nothing compared to movies like "Occident" and "Filantropica", which are good Romanian movies made in the last few years. Very disappointing...

now we know radu munteans movies, the excellent PAPER WILL BE BLUE and BOOGIE, but its worth to see again (or at last) this first FURIA, which shows perfectly clear his initial qualities.

its very interesting to see how his beginners talent developed into confirming him as one of the best romanian contemporary directors.

of course, the movie itself is excellent - intelligent and professional script, sure-handed direction, stylish photography. definitely, one of the best - in the most serious and competent sense! also, munteans storytelling sense is compelling and gripping - and he actors... well, they simply rock!