The Raid 2 - Analysis and Review

"With all due respect..."

I can't believe how many times that line is said in that movie. Regardless, it is not like one would go into this movie expecting to hear Oscar Worthy dialogue. But the fact that the dialogue is actually pretty interesting is definitely a bonus. But of course we all know the real reason why we watch this movie: ULTRA VIOLENCE!

The Plot

Straight after the events of the first movie, Rookie Officer Rama (Iko Uwais) gets recruited to go deep undercover to track down cops who have gone rogue. In order to do so, he must gain the trust of the local mob boss's son, Uco (Arifin Putra), to begin his mission. What entails is a world full of lies drenched in blood. This is far more than a simple raid. It is a massacre. 

Analysis

Jonathan Liebesman, director of the newly rebooted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, cited The Raid as inspiration for what he wants to do with the turtles. Having seen The Raid, I find it hard to believe that would be possible. Though copying The Raid would probably benefit the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie more so than it already is, it is clear that the action will never live up to it. And that's one thing that I've been discovering about American cinema lately. Most of their action movies are not that great.

Sure there are a few cases when it comes to Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Man of Steel. But for true martial arts action, there hasn't really been anything as mesmerizing or as visceral as what Gareth Evans has done with The Raid. Sure, its plot may mirror the same plot as Dredd, which ironically was being made around the same time and therefore not a rip off, with a very simplistic premise. And its in this simplicity that we get a symphony of action. So one could wonder if the reason why there hasn't really been good action movies is because we have now evolved to caring more about the story first then the action is the icing on the cake. The reversal was for The Raid which pride action over plot. And it paid off by being something almost original. Which is why it worries me that this film is going to get the American remake treatment.

There is a skill displayed in front and behind the camera that makes these movies cinematic achievements. And it truly shows here, now that the movie actually has a complex plot. But does it take away from the action?

Review

A lot of complaints about the first Raid movie have been directed at the simplistic plot. Well with this iteration, that should not be a complaint anymore. Director Gareth Evans crafts a plot that jumps off from the original and expands the corrupt universe that the first film only hinted at. In here we get to see it in full force with are nearly unstoppable protagonist fighting his way through.

Iko Kuwais returns in the role of Officer Rama, who is sent deep undercover to hunt down rogue cops. For an action star, the acting from him is pretty solid. But then again with the language barrier, I'm probably not able to know if his acting is good or not. After all, line delivery is one way of showing the talents of a good actor. But having to work with just subtitle and facial expressions, I have to say he is pretty good. His role is a lot more heavier in this film as he is thrown into a role similar to Leonardo DiCaprio's in The Departed and Tony Leung's in Infernal Affairs. The toll of being undercover definitely shows on him as he tries to keep hold of his humanity while dealing with an overly ambitious spoiled brat.

That spoiled brat is Uco, the son of a mob boss and played by Arifin Putra. Again, due to the language barrier it is difficult for me to get a hold of his acting talent. He does seem to have range and the emotions are definitely there. So I'd say he did pretty good. In fact I can praise everyone in this film for being good. Which is surprising that for such an over the top action movie, it comes off as more of a hard hitting drama akin to The Departed and Infernal Affairs.

The fact that I keep mentioning those two movies should give you an idea about the plot. But how it was filmed was strikingly different from those two movies. This is definitely an art house film disguised as a mainstream action movie. The way the shots are composed and camera movements are what one could find in Nicolas Winding Refn films: Drive and Only God Forgives. Though I would argue that The Raid 2 is a far more interesting movie than Only God Forgives, they do share some similarities in scene composition and usage of lighting. It may be an action film, but it is definitely a beautiful one. Which brings me to the point that everyone wants to know: is the action good?

HELL F#@%ING YES! While the action is more spread out in this film, it is a welcoming change to the relentless nature of the first film. The choreography is spell bounding and will keep one mesmerized by how well shot and the skill it takes to pull off such a gruesome fight. It is a testament to the stunt team and star Iko Kuwais for delivering such powerful fights that Gareth has carefully shot to ensure that we can clearly see the gruesome nature of the fights. One could get anxious through the dramatic scenes waiting for something bloody to happen, but one doesn't really have to wait too long. In fact while it does seem boring between the fights, you will not be completely bothered by it once you reach the end. It is definitely well placed throughout the film in the most perfect way. Especially when colorful characters such as baseball guy and hammer girl step in to play.

And yes, the final fight of every action film is definitely a lot better than the final fight from the previous. 

Final Thoughts

This is definitely the best action movie of the year. There is no doubt about it. It has great cinematic filmmaking and incredible choreography to make it stand out from the rest. It's a shame that this is being remade by an American studio so soon. It is hard to imagine how a remake can live up to the action that this film has shown us. Only time will tell, but for now enjoy this great cinematic achievement.

8.5/10 - The best action movie of the year and probably will stay that way