The Raid 2 Review

Director: Gareth Evans.

Starring: Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Arifin Putra, Tio Pakusodewo, Alex Abbad, Julie Estelle.

Running Time: 150 minutes.

Certificate: 18.

Synopsis: After his heroic escape in THE RAID, Officer Rama (Iko Uwais) is now a target of mob vengeance. The only way to secure safety for himself and his family is to go undercover and take down the rival warring gangs from the inside.

There’s nothing quite like a slap in the chops to make you sit up and pay attention, so with THE RAID 2 delivering a brutal barrage to the senses you’ll be gripped from start to finish. This is no meagre feat considering Gareth Evans’ previous installment blew our collective brains out with one of the best films of 2011, and dare we say, one of the best action films ever.

Breathe a sigh of relief, as THE RAID 2 is a brilliant follow-up, seeing Evans waste no time in expanding the universe and immersing the audience into the gritty underbelly of the Jakarta mob – a ballsy move considering we’d have been happy to see a carbon copy of the first film. Evans exudes confidence and aims high with far grander plot and emotive performances all communicated with a more mature visual pallet, from the film’s beautifully bleak opening shot, to the sexy slow-mos that expertly ratchet up the tension and expectation that precedes every fight or setpiece. It’s hard to believe that such clarity of storytelling, choreography and unrelenting action could come from a director who is just starting out. But let’s stop gushing over Gareth and talk gushing blood.

Where THE RAID’s action was a melee of brutal ballet, full of finesse, here it seems far more savage, unforgiving and definitive, with Rama not just fighting for survival, but fighting to get his life back. And it’s truly thrilling as limbs break and heads burst in what is now bludgeoning ballet. The first fight in the prison toilets is immense and subsequent battles build in style and substance, enhanced by a fierce cast of fun (if not clichéd) baddies. The hobo assassin, baseball bat guy and hammer girl all add to innovative punch-ups and some particularly grisly finishing moves. The new addition here is the much-lauded car chase and it’s fantastic. Evans uses every trick in the book and even invents a few new ones that’ll leave you dumbfounded.

THE RAID 2 is great, but it does have a few shortcomings. Every fight in the first film was literally stunning, leaving the audience gawking in disbelief as levels of adrenaline and endorphins coarse through the brain with the only logical response to stand punching the air whilst laughing, cheering and crying. Whether it’s the brawl-ier nature of this film or simply a mix of desensitisation and expectation, the fights don’t feel as exciting, and the second act lags as it takes a diversion to the character of Prokoso (confusingly played by Yayan Ruhian who featured in THE RAID as a different character). Ultimately this is a forty minute plot device that could have easily been achieved through other means – an indulgent misstep by Evans who is really just showcasing Ruhian’s considerable talent.

Despite the expectation created by THE RAID, every film must be judged on its own merit. THE RAID 2 is blood(il)y brilliant, mixing some of the most hardcore action ever with a compelling narrative straight out of a Shakespearian tragedy. What the heck are you waiting for?

[usr=4] THE RAID 2 punches its way into cinemas on Friday 11th April, 2014.