The writers, editors, and director of this film look as though they've been stabbed in the brain instead.

At first glance, Stabbing in the Throat appears to have the ingredients for a decent action thriller. The premise has potential, offering the possibility of tense confrontations and creative fight sequences. Unfortunately, that potential is almost entirely wasted by an astonishingly poor execution that turns what could have been an entertaining B-movie into an unintentionally comical experience.

Director Wang Qing has built much of his career directing low-budget productions for iQIYI, and Stabbing in the Throat feels very much in line with those previous efforts. While there is nothing inherently wrong with modestly budgeted action films, they still require competent pacing, convincing choreography, and solid editing. Here, all three are sorely lacking. The editing is particularly disastrous, constantly disrupting the rhythm of the action and making many scenes feel clumsy rather than exciting.

Fufu Yuan gives a committed performance as the lead, but even his efforts cannot rescue the film. The clearest example is an extended one-shot sequence that obviously tries to emulate the famous long takes from Extraction starring Chris Hemsworth. Ambition alone, however, is not enough. The sequence quickly falls apart, especially during its final stretch, where awkward camera movements, unconvincing choreography, and obvious technical shortcuts transform what should have been the movie's highlight into something that borders on parody.

The supporting villains do the film no favors either. They are among the most incompetent and ridiculous antagonists imaginable, behaving so irrationally and ineffectively that it becomes almost impossible to take the story seriously. As a result, any sense of danger or suspense completely evaporates.

The action scenes constantly strive to look stylish, but they rarely succeed. Instead of delivering memorable choreography or visceral impact, they often feel artificial, repetitive, and strangely lifeless. Every time the film seems ready to build momentum, weak staging or poor editing immediately kills it.

In the end, Stabbing in the Throat is an action film that is remarkably easy to ignore. Despite an initial concept that could have led to a tense and entertaining thriller, nearly every creative decision works against it. There are simply too many superior martial arts and action films available today to justify spending time on this one. Unless you are determined to watch every iQIYI action release, this is a movie you can safely skip without feeling that you have missed anything.

My Rating: *

The action genre features fast-paced, thrilling, and intense sequences of physical feats, combat, and excitement. The characters of these stories are involved in daring and often dangerous situations, requiring them to rely on their physical prowess, skills, and quick thinking to overcome challenges and adversaries.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

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