Genre films
interact with each other, building off of trends and techniques from similar
releases of the past. This is clearly apparent in the recent trend adapting
young adult literature with revolutionary storylines in an apocalyptic future.
Without The Hunger Games, there would
be no Divergent or the upcoming
adaptation of The Maze. Films play
off of each other, but there is always an original source that the trends can
be traced back to, and The Raid 2 is
a film which is destined to blaze trails in the action genre for years to come.
Whether it is gunplay, martial arts, or chase scenes, The Raid 2 reaches for the stars and achieves many moments of utter
brilliance.
The original
film, The Raid: Redemption, is
already set for a Hollywood remake, but it would take years to achieve the accomplishments
seen in this sequel of unbelievable increased scope. This is a film many years
in the making, with a great deal of the awe-inspiring action choreographed long
before the first film was even made. For the mere fact that this is a foreign
film, I have doubts that it will be as financially successful as the countless
action Blockbusters released in Hollywood, but I am even more certain that no
film released anywhere in the world this year will come close to being as
impressive as The Raid 2. This is a
game changer.
The Raid 2 begins shortly after the end
of the first film, with Rama (Iko Uwais) surviving the brutal police raid only
to discover that his mission has only just begun. The police force sends Rama
undercover into prison to make connections with the thugs of Jakarta
The undercover
cop storyline helps to fill the gaps between action sequences in this epic
film, but it will be the spectacle that leaves audiences breathless. The first
film utilized the Indonesian traditional martial arts of Silat for the
impressive hand-to-hand action sequences, and the Raid 2 does not disappoint on providing much more of the same, but
this is only the beginning of what this sequel offers. As well as a final fight
scene that took 6 weeks to orchestrate, The
Raid 2 features some of the most creative violence seen outside of a horror
film. A car chase sequence alone is more groundbreaking and awe-inspiring than
anything to come out of Hollywood
I could go on
for much longer on the impressive range of action sequences within this film,
from the prison brawl to the subway massacre with villains wielding hammers and
a baseball bat. I could give more details about the manner in which the action
was film, actors actually throwing punches at each other for sake of realism on
screen. There is very little negative to say and I would rather avoid it
entirely, if only because of the uphill battle subtitled films already face in
the box office. Instead I will end with this simple statement: if you see one
action film this year, it should be this one. Skip all of the comic book heroes
and undercover cop films with Schwarzenegger until you have seen The Raid 2, even if you haven’t seen the
first film yet.
Entertainment Value:
10/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 9.5/10
Historical
Significance: 9/10
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