If you liked the first Indonesian movie The Raid you’ll love this sequel. Director Gareth Evans expands the action out of the closed confines of a tenement building and into an open arena.
He also adds a lot more story but mostly this is a film for action fans. From an outrageous prison riot to an unbelievable car chase to Iko Uwais swinging a hammer around the room this is an exhilarating movie.
The Plot
Gareth Evans ratchets up the action to jaw-dropping levels in The Raid 2, a tense, violent drama that will satisfy fans of its predecessor. Taking the character of Rama out of his least fun building and into prison, it thrusts him into an underworld that draws inspiration from crime classics as diverse as The Godfather and Infernal Affairs. His new adversaries include a dapper psycho with shades and an unexplained limp, a sleazy mob boss (another excellent Arifin Putra), and a pair of assassins (Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Man) who live up to their names.
It’s a more complex story than the original, using plot to bookend extended fight sequences rather than just providing a stopwatch for Rama’s ferocity. Some may find the increased narrative intricacies confusing, and the violence is still excessive (it’s hard not to imagine that combatants have titanium skulls that withstand any amount of cranium-battering). But the filmmakers are aiming for something more than just blood and guts, and their vision is realized in a climactic ‘kitchen’ fight that easily surpasses anything else the genre has to offer.
It’s an impressive demonstration of Evans’ ability to create atmosphere and a stifling sense of moral erosion through visual means alone. And, like the first film, he knows how to compose enthralling fight scenes, from a slo-mo, mud-caked mass of fighters where it’s impossible to tell who’s who to a spectacular car chase that takes place in a crowded marketplace.
The Cast
Gareth Evans’s directing debut was a surprise winner in 2011, with its tale of a police raid on a gangland high rise going wrong. Its tense plot, superbly choreographed fight scenes and charismatic star Iko Uwais made it one of the year’s best films. The Raid 2 picks up the threads of that ibomma film and extends it with the same ferocity, but also more complexity and a greater sense of depth.
This time, SWAT team member Rama (Uwais) is drawn deeper into a criminal underworld he never expected to be involved in. He is sent to prison and befriends the arrogant son of crime lord Bangun, but his trust is quickly betrayed. His only goal is to protect his family and that’s why he keeps fighting.
The action is still superb, with a wide variety of martial arts styles showcased in expertly choreographed combat. There are some truly jaw-dropping sequences, from a large scale prison riot to an insane car chase that’s filmed with far more tension and craziness than you’ll see in most other films. There’s also a climactic showdown in a kitchen that’s just stunning. There are some fine supporting performances too, including Zack Lee as a jailed enforcer and Donny Alamsyah as Rama’s brother.
The Visuals
When the Indonesian martial arts movie The Raid made its global debut back in 2011, it stunned audiences with its frenzied action and became an instant calling card for Welsh director Gareth Evans. The sequel takes the original’s basic formula and stretches it out over a longer running time, but that doesn’t mean less is more; as with its predecessor, the movie is rife with insane carnage.
Legs snap, ribs burst, and heads get pulped into sausage meat; even the most jaded action fan can’t help but be awed by the sheer brutality on display here. The director doesn’t rely solely on gratuitous violence, though, instead injecting a lot of art into his mayhem. He has a knack for framing the moments before a fracas and letting his camera linger on little details, like a slide lock struggling to retain its integrity against pressure from inside.
The movie also stars a newcomer to the series, Iko Uwais, who makes a strong impression as Rama and proves he’s got the skill to carry the franchise forward into an era of more streamlined action movies. And while the movie isn’t without its problems, especially with its convoluted plot and a lack of the original’s pure sense of menace, The Raid 2 is still a jaw-dropping piece of action cinema that left a cinema full of clapping, cheering, and wincing audience members in awe.
The Music
The film uses a variety of music in the background during fight scenes and car chases. It is a very effective way of making them more exciting and intense.
The action sequences are well-choreographed and filmed. However, the movie does get repetitive after a while. It is also a bit too unrealistic in some places. For example, in the first scene, the gangsters easily break into the apartment but later on they seem to be locked out of the room. The climax also doesn’t make much sense. In addition, the character Rama doesn’t make much of an impression when he is trying to kill his boss in the kitchen.
Despite the flaws, The Raid 2 is a great sequel to its predecessor. Gareth Evans’s film is not for everyone, but those who are looking for some serious jaw-dropping action will surely love it. The movie is definitely worth watching.
The Raid 2 builds on its predecessor’s foundation with even more impressive fight scenes and a bigger stage of gangland warfare. It might not be as captivating as the original, but it still offers some of the best fight sequences ever filmed. From cramped subway trains to muddy prison yards, The Raid 2 features a wide range of action set pieces that will leave you breathless. The movie also stars Iko Uwais, who once again proves that he is a star in the making.