Review: The Raid 2 Proves That Violence, Not Money, is the International Language.
- Jan 17, 2017
- 2 min read
The Raid 2 takes everything The Raid did right and dials it up. Story, character, visuals and, most importantly, action. This movie took the bar and launched it into orbit.
The Raid 2 begins mere hours after its predecessor came to an end. Rama (Iko Uwais) is given a mission, to go undercover within the top criminal organisation in Jakarta. To do this he must befriend Uco (Arifin Putra) the son of Bangun (Tio Pakusadewo), the man who owns half the city. But, as alliances within the underworld fall apart and a war breaks out between the Indonesians and the Yakuza, Rama is stuck in the middle in a desperate fight for survival.
There are a lot more characters on show this time around and they all get their moment to shine. It’s a far more plot driven film than the original with a lot of focus on the higher up parts of crime, from bosses to organised hits to full blown gangland wars. Again, everyone gives decent performances and are suitably committed to their roles. But the real entertainment comes from the action.
The Raid was packed with action, and it was some of the best ever put to screen. The Raid 2 makes it look like child's play. Shootouts, car chases, multiperson duels, single combat and massive brawls in the mud, The Raid 2 has it all, and it doesn’t pull any punches, literally. Majority of the hits aren’t the staged hits of Hollywood but are in fact real hits, not hard enough to cause damage but enough to bring a whole new level of pain. And there’s plenty of that to be had as well. The blood flows freely here, from knives to guns to hammers and pipes, just about everything is used to suitably grisly results. The Raid had plenty of blood but the sequel is drenched in it.
And, as with the original, it’s made all the sweeter by Gareth Evans smooth camera work. Again, it’s even better, with Evans talents on show, most notably in the car chase. There are few action movies of this type that can lay claim to looking this good.
Ultimately, The Raid 2 is the original on steroids and, while the story isn’t as good as it could have been, the action on display is the best ever put to film. If you enjoyed the first, you’ll enjoy the second.
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