Director: Gareth Evans
Starring: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno
Running Time: 101 minutes
Certificate: 18
Extras: Director’s commentary, The Raid feature, UNCUT version, Trailers, Video Blogs, ‘Claycats: The Raid’, The Raid Fan Films, Featurettes, Behind the Music with Mike Shinoda and Joe Trapanese, An Evening with Gareth Evans & Iko Uwais
Aside from the redundant fact relentlessly trolled out by film media in recent months – it’s an Indonesian film directed by a Welshman – THE RAID has lots going for it, and huge amounts to help it stand out. With a gloriously simple premise – cops go to tower block run by criminals to retrieve someone, run into trouble, fighting ensues – THE RAID may not strike anyone as original, but think this at your peril. Action is rarely more brutal or spectacular than in THE RAID. Star Iko Uwais lights up the screen with abhorrent combos, leaving foes screaming in agony and not knowing which injury to nurse first. And they’re the lucky ones – the others are killed by hand, gun, or blade. Each kill is more brutal and protracted than the last, and director Evans builds the anticipation, teasing the audience before delivering an orgy of violence, the type last seen in Max Mosley’s dungeon (allegedly). Using the traditional Indonesian martial arts ‘pencat silat’, the punches, kicks, and headbutts come faster than seem humanly possible, and it just doesn’t stop. Whereas a film like BATTLE: LOS ANGELES was full-throttle action and extremely dull, the combat on show here is so original and shot, and edited in such a glorious way it is impossible to rip your eyes from the screen. But then, when it’s this intense and thrilling why would you want to?
Tagged on is an emotional pull, and some nice people amidst the chaos, but no-one is watching to find out what happens the hero’s pregnant wife, or the helpful man with a sick missus (or any other character arc for that matter), are they? We want action dammit, and action we get.
THE RAID is a majestic piece of film-making: the close quarters camerawork make not flinching impossible, and gasps inevitable; the violence is positively brutal and unforgiving but when it is done this well, and paced so beautifully it doesn’t seem excessive, which is a miracle in itself. And if you can find a better fight scene than ‘The Narcotics Lab’ consider yourself very lucky. If you want action you need THE RAID.
Extras: Claycat Does The Raid is a horribly brutal retelling of THE RAID’s story with clay cats and dogs. As hilarious as it is gory. Behind The Music is a interesting look at the creation of the soundtrack which is repeated a little during the In Conversation pieces. The Featurettes/video blogs are a broken down making of and look at all the main aspects of the film-making process, Evans and the crew’s enthusiasm make these unmissable. The Raid Fan Film is an animated trailer for the movie. An Evening with Gareth Evans, Mike Shinoda and Joe Trapanese would be much more enjoyable were it not for the annoying interviewer, but the three guys come across so well it’s still enjoyable.
THE RAID is released on Blu-ray and DVD September 24th and cane be ordered here
