Hello, all!
I loved THE RAID. When it was released, a lot of folks were comparing it to the criminally underrated movie DREDD [and, speaking of sequels, here’s hoping that movie gets one someday] because of the basic structure of the plot. Somewhat like the old NES game Kung Fu, with a dash of the Bruce Lee flick GAME OF DEATH combined with John Woo’s earlier stuff – HARD BOILED, maybe – THE RAID introduced Iko Uwais, whose on-screen martial arts abilities were the most riveting stuff since Tony Jaa of ONG-BAK fame burst on the scene. While Jaa is a Muay Thai guy, Uwais practices Pencak Silat… while both films feature action that is clearly choreographed and stunt-driven, the Silat that Uwais shows on-screen just seems more like the kind of gritty, real-world violence you might see in a street fight.
So, now that the cinematic and martial arts styles comparison portion of the show is out of the way, it’s time to explain why such a fun and kinetic actioner was outshone by its sequel, THE RAID 2. The simple answer is: story. There’s a lot more story meat on the bone in the sequel, and that doesn’t really detract from how enjoyable the first installment is. The original film has some great action, but at its core it’s just a straightforward action flick. The sequel has some fantastic action and fight sequences, too, and while none of them quite top the “Mad Dog” fight in the original, there’s plenty of great fight choreography and an interesting [and far more developed] story in it.
The fact that the original film takes place almost exclusively in a high-rise apartment controlled by a crime boss necessarily limits just how far the story can go. In the sequel, Uwais’s character, Rama, is sent undercover to uncover what’s going on with two separate crime syndicates. It’s bigger, and yet the plot doesn’t suffer from any significant lag like the first film has in its second act.
Rather than spoil any of the set pieces in the sequel, I’ll just say this: hammer and baseball bat. Whenever you watch this one, and you should, you’ll know what I mean. If you want a taste of the style of action the film showcases, however, you ought to check out the “Mad Dog” fight I mentioned above. It is a little spoileriffic, so if you’re keen to watch either movie, it’s probably best just to watch both in order. Still, if you’re just a fan of top-notch martial arts choreography, then maybe you’d rather just watch the fight, which I’ve embedded below.
See?!? [Well, assuming you can see it... that was the better version of the fight I found on YouTube, but not the higher quality, so...]
If you liked that at all, then you can’t go wrong with either film. Still, if you’d like a flick that’s a little more involved than just one fight scene after another, then THE RAID 2 is a must. Enjoy!
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - THE DARK KNIGHT; Day 2 - DESPERADO; Day 3 - THE ROAD WARRIOR; Day 4 - X2: X-MEN UNITED; Day 5 - TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY; Day 6 - DAWN OF THE DEAD; Day 7 - DEADPOOL 2; Day 8 - HOT SHOTS! PART DEUX; Day 9 - STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN; Day 10 - THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS; Day 11 - CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER; Day 12 - ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES; Day 13 - PADDINGTON 2; Day 14 - RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET; Day 15 - LETHAL WEAPON 2; Day 16 - FINAL DESTINATION 2; Day 17 - FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE; Day 18 - NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION]
I loved THE RAID. When it was released, a lot of folks were comparing it to the criminally underrated movie DREDD [and, speaking of sequels, here’s hoping that movie gets one someday] because of the basic structure of the plot. Somewhat like the old NES game Kung Fu, with a dash of the Bruce Lee flick GAME OF DEATH combined with John Woo’s earlier stuff – HARD BOILED, maybe – THE RAID introduced Iko Uwais, whose on-screen martial arts abilities were the most riveting stuff since Tony Jaa of ONG-BAK fame burst on the scene. While Jaa is a Muay Thai guy, Uwais practices Pencak Silat… while both films feature action that is clearly choreographed and stunt-driven, the Silat that Uwais shows on-screen just seems more like the kind of gritty, real-world violence you might see in a street fight.
So, now that the cinematic and martial arts styles comparison portion of the show is out of the way, it’s time to explain why such a fun and kinetic actioner was outshone by its sequel, THE RAID 2. The simple answer is: story. There’s a lot more story meat on the bone in the sequel, and that doesn’t really detract from how enjoyable the first installment is. The original film has some great action, but at its core it’s just a straightforward action flick. The sequel has some fantastic action and fight sequences, too, and while none of them quite top the “Mad Dog” fight in the original, there’s plenty of great fight choreography and an interesting [and far more developed] story in it.
The fact that the original film takes place almost exclusively in a high-rise apartment controlled by a crime boss necessarily limits just how far the story can go. In the sequel, Uwais’s character, Rama, is sent undercover to uncover what’s going on with two separate crime syndicates. It’s bigger, and yet the plot doesn’t suffer from any significant lag like the first film has in its second act.
Rather than spoil any of the set pieces in the sequel, I’ll just say this: hammer and baseball bat. Whenever you watch this one, and you should, you’ll know what I mean. If you want a taste of the style of action the film showcases, however, you ought to check out the “Mad Dog” fight I mentioned above. It is a little spoileriffic, so if you’re keen to watch either movie, it’s probably best just to watch both in order. Still, if you’re just a fan of top-notch martial arts choreography, then maybe you’d rather just watch the fight, which I’ve embedded below.
See?!? [Well, assuming you can see it... that was the better version of the fight I found on YouTube, but not the higher quality, so...]
If you liked that at all, then you can’t go wrong with either film. Still, if you’d like a flick that’s a little more involved than just one fight scene after another, then THE RAID 2 is a must. Enjoy!
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - THE DARK KNIGHT; Day 2 - DESPERADO; Day 3 - THE ROAD WARRIOR; Day 4 - X2: X-MEN UNITED; Day 5 - TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY; Day 6 - DAWN OF THE DEAD; Day 7 - DEADPOOL 2; Day 8 - HOT SHOTS! PART DEUX; Day 9 - STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN; Day 10 - THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS; Day 11 - CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER; Day 12 - ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES; Day 13 - PADDINGTON 2; Day 14 - RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET; Day 15 - LETHAL WEAPON 2; Day 16 - FINAL DESTINATION 2; Day 17 - FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE; Day 18 - NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION]
