"The Raid: Redemption" is a movie that pulls no punches. Or maybe that's all it pulls. It's been a long while since I've seen a film so relentless, so brutal, and so unapologetically violent. Writer/Director Gareth Evans' film is a non-stop barrage of fisticuffs, shoot-outs, and explosions. It is a well choreographed exercise in action movie mayhem and it succeeds wholly in its intentions. If you want a nuanced screenplay, in-depth characterizations, or an intricate plot--"The Raid: Redemption" might not be your first choice of entertainment. Don't get me wrong, I like and expect those things too. But if you give yourself over to the visceral experience of this down and dirty movie, it provides more thrills and excitement than a slate of Hollywood blockbusters. If you like action films, this micro-budgeted indie flick shot in Indonesia (yes, it's subtitled but, believe me, the dialogue is relatively minimal) has got to be on the top of your must-see list.
Evans reunites with the star, Iko Uwais, of his previous film "Merantau." While "Merantau" showed promise, it was plagued with a relatively uninspired plot and some serious pacing issues. While I'd still recommend it to fans of the genre, it didn't fully come together in the way that I hoped it would. Both Uwais, as a martial artist and a screen presence, and Evans, as a creative force, have upped their game in "The Raid: Redemption." Uwais plays an upstanding cop who is part of a SWAT team in Jakarta. The plot is very simple on the surface. The officers must infiltrate a slum apartment building that houses a gangland overlord and his band of criminal mercenaries. But on their way to the penthouse suite, they must fend off countless attacks as their numbers dwindle. There is a little political back story, as well, with corruption and greed factoring into the equation as to just why the building is being raided in the first place. You need more plot? Too bad.
What you get instead is relentless action. The pacing is dynamic and the tension escalates throughout. There are some terrific combat scenes, lots of gunfire, and an endless array of hand-to hand fight sequences. The martial arts aspect to the fighting is exciting and extremely well done without being too over the top. "The Raid: Redemption" did quite well on the film festival circuit (winning audience awards in Amsterdam, Toronto, and Dublin) and with the majority of mainstream critics (including raves from the Los Angeles Times and USA Today). The reason seems very simple. The movie doesn't aspire to be anything other than what it is. Evans focused on making a brutal and exhausting bit of ultra-violent escapism. And that's exactly what he and his team delivers. Is it a perfect film? Not particularly. Could it have benefited from improved storytelling? Probably. But what it does provide more than compensates for what it doesn't. In the end, this movie may not be for everyone. That's perfectly fine. But I suspect that the film's reputation will only grow in certain circles making it a true cult classic a few years down the line. About 4 1/2 stars, I'll round up for the sheer madness of it all!
Evans reunites with the star, Iko Uwais, of his previous film "Merantau." While "Merantau" showed promise, it was plagued with a relatively uninspired plot and some serious pacing issues. While I'd still recommend it to fans of the genre, it didn't fully come together in the way that I hoped it would. Both Uwais, as a martial artist and a screen presence, and Evans, as a creative force, have upped their game in "The Raid: Redemption." Uwais plays an upstanding cop who is part of a SWAT team in Jakarta. The plot is very simple on the surface. The officers must infiltrate a slum apartment building that houses a gangland overlord and his band of criminal mercenaries. But on their way to the penthouse suite, they must fend off countless attacks as their numbers dwindle. There is a little political back story, as well, with corruption and greed factoring into the equation as to just why the building is being raided in the first place. You need more plot? Too bad.
What you get instead is relentless action. The pacing is dynamic and the tension escalates throughout. There are some terrific combat scenes, lots of gunfire, and an endless array of hand-to hand fight sequences. The martial arts aspect to the fighting is exciting and extremely well done without being too over the top. "The Raid: Redemption" did quite well on the film festival circuit (winning audience awards in Amsterdam, Toronto, and Dublin) and with the majority of mainstream critics (including raves from the Los Angeles Times and USA Today). The reason seems very simple. The movie doesn't aspire to be anything other than what it is. Evans focused on making a brutal and exhausting bit of ultra-violent escapism. And that's exactly what he and his team delivers. Is it a perfect film? Not particularly. Could it have benefited from improved storytelling? Probably. But what it does provide more than compensates for what it doesn't. In the end, this movie may not be for everyone. That's perfectly fine. But I suspect that the film's reputation will only grow in certain circles making it a true cult classic a few years down the line. About 4 1/2 stars, I'll round up for the sheer madness of it all!
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