Furious
A story of a legendary battle, where seventeen fearless warriors defend their land against an army of thousands well-trained soldiers. In 13th-century Mongol warrior hordes and their leader, Batu Khan, control most of the known world. As the Mongols move towards Europe they invade the last Russian principality standing in their way. Little do they know, their plans are about to be ruined by a small detachment of heroic strong men led by a mysterious brave warrior. This is a story about courage, endurance and self-sacrifice for the sake of one's country. This is the story of Evpaty the Furious.
Working with a modest budget of $5.6M, the film achieved a modest success with $10.7M in global revenue (+90% profit margin).
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Furious (2017) showcases strategically placed narrative design, characteristic of Ivan Shurkhovetskiy's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 57 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Evpatiy Kolovrat
Batu Khan
Ustya
Xerxes
Yuri II
Main Cast & Characters
Evpatiy Kolovrat
Played by Ilya Malakov
A legendary Russian warrior who leads a small force against the Mongol invasion to defend his homeland and avenge his family.
Batu Khan
Played by Aleksandr Tsoy
The ruthless Mongol military commander leading the invasion of Russian principalities with overwhelming force.
Ustya
Played by Polina Chernyshova
Kolovrat's wife who represents what he fights to protect and whose fate drives his quest for vengeance.
Xerxes
Played by Aleksey Serebryakov
A foreign warrior who joins Kolovrat's band and provides tactical expertise and cultural perspective.
Yuri II
Played by Timofey Tribuntsev
The Grand Prince of Vladimir whose decisions impact the fate of the Russian lands during the invasion.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Kolovrat lives as a skilled warrior in peaceful Ryazan, training and serving his prince. We see him as a loyal soldier in a world about to be shattered.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when News arrives that Batu Khan's massive Mongol army is advancing on Ryazan. The scale of the threat becomes clear—they face overwhelming odds against a ruthless conqueror.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 29 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to The Mongols attack Ryazan. Kolovrat chooses to stay and fight rather than flee, committing himself fully to a likely suicide mission to defend his homeland and people., moving from reaction to action.
At 58 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Kolovrat's forces achieve a significant victory against a Mongol division, proving they can hurt the enemy. False victory: they believe they might actually have a chance, but the Khan's full attention now turns to crushing them., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 87 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Kolovrat's remaining warriors are surrounded and decimated. His closest companions die in battle. The cause seems utterly lost—the whiff of death is literal as heroes fall., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 93 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Kolovrat realizes his fight was never about winning militarily, but about inspiring resistance and proving that his people would not submit without a fight. He chooses his final stand with renewed purpose., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Furious's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Furious against these established plot points, we can identify how Ivan Shurkhovetskiy utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Furious within the fantasy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional fantasy films include Thinner, Ella Enchanted and Conan the Barbarian.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Kolovrat lives as a skilled warrior in peaceful Ryazan, training and serving his prince. We see him as a loyal soldier in a world about to be shattered.
Theme
A mentor figure speaks of the cost of freedom and the burden of those who defend it: "A warrior's strength is not in his sword, but in what he protects."
Worldbuilding
Establishment of 13th-century Rus, the political landscape, Kolovrat's relationships with fellow warriors, the prince, and the looming threat of Mongol expansion. Daily life before the storm.
Disruption
News arrives that Batu Khan's massive Mongol army is advancing on Ryazan. The scale of the threat becomes clear—they face overwhelming odds against a ruthless conqueror.
Resistance
Debate among the princes and warriors about how to respond. Should they negotiate, flee, or fight? Kolovrat argues for resistance while others counsel submission. Preparation for the inevitable conflict.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The Mongols attack Ryazan. Kolovrat chooses to stay and fight rather than flee, committing himself fully to a likely suicide mission to defend his homeland and people.
Mirror World
Kolovrat forms deeper bonds with his small band of warriors and encounters a woman who represents what he's fighting for—the innocence and humanity threatened by the invasion.
Premise
Guerrilla warfare against the Mongol horde. Kolovrat and his small force use cunning tactics to strike at the massive enemy army, delivering the action spectacle of David versus Goliath combat.
Midpoint
Kolovrat's forces achieve a significant victory against a Mongol division, proving they can hurt the enemy. False victory: they believe they might actually have a chance, but the Khan's full attention now turns to crushing them.
Opposition
Batu Khan intensifies his pursuit of Kolovrat. The Mongols adapt their tactics, the noose tightens, and Kolovrat's warriors begin to fall one by one. Resources dwindle and hope fades.
Collapse
Kolovrat's remaining warriors are surrounded and decimated. His closest companions die in battle. The cause seems utterly lost—the whiff of death is literal as heroes fall.
Crisis
Kolovrat, wounded and alone, faces his darkest moment. He contemplates the meaning of his sacrifice and whether his resistance mattered at all against such overwhelming force.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Kolovrat realizes his fight was never about winning militarily, but about inspiring resistance and proving that his people would not submit without a fight. He chooses his final stand with renewed purpose.
Synthesis
The final confrontation with Batu Khan's forces. Kolovrat makes his last stand, combining all his skill and courage. Though outnumbered, he fights with the knowledge that his legend will inspire future generations.
Transformation
Kolovrat's sacrifice becomes legend. Even Batu Khan shows respect for his enemy's courage. The closing image shows that while Kolovrat fell, his spirit of resistance lived on in the Russian people.