The
sequel to Gareth Evan’s breakout hit The
Raid (AKA The Raid: Redemption)
continues the story of cop Rama (Iko Uwais) a mere two hours after the closing moments
of the first film. And, story-wise at least, that’s pretty much all the two
films have in common.
Whilst
the original The Raid was largely
confined to a single location over a period of a few hours, The Raid 2 is a sprawling crime epic, encompassing
several characters and storylines - this time spanning over the course of a few
years. The budget, the ambition and (of course) the bone-crunching violence of
the action sequences that many people praised in the first film, have all been
upped considerably for the sequel – Evans proving that he is a genuinely
exciting talent to watch and not just a one-hit wonder.
In
The Raid 2, Rama is forced to go deep
undercover in order to weed out corrupt cops, but along the way becomes deeply
entrenched in working for the local mob boss Bangun, his ambitious hothead of a
son Ucok, as well as encountering a dozen other colourful characters ranging from
rival bosses, hitmen, underworld lowlifes and corrupt officials. It’s a definite
change of pace, and, whilst the intense action scenes and bloody fights are
still all present and correct, there is a bit more down time for the story to
breathe and characters to develop.
As
a result, it’s nice to get to see Iko Uwais getting more time to act this time
around, but special mention also goes to Arifin Putra, who impresses as young
mob heir Ucok – a more complex character that carries much of the dramatic
weight of the film. There is also a Japanese element added to the story in the
form of a Yakuza presence (headed by Kenichi Endo) that hints at a much larger
world beyond.
The
scope and cinematography of the film have also been considerable upped. There
are plenty of lingering long shots, extreme close-ups during heightened moments
as well as some tasteful use of slo-mo. The style calls attention to itself a
lot more this time around – this also being the case with the action sequences
and their kinetic camera work as well as the quieter moments. There are
overhead shots of huge brawls, shots rolling through windows as characters are
thrown through them, and a camera being passed through one window and out of
another during a frantic car chase. In addition to the excellent fight
choreography, the way these scenes are expertly staged and shot is a breathless
and visceral thrill.
Tonally,
The Raid 2 does feel different,
however. The violence this time is darker, gorier and a touch more mean-spirited.
Whereas many deaths in the previous film seemed to be an ugly necessity for the
characters in order to survive the immediate situation, here there are also
plenty of executions and assassinations, often unflinching in their delivery,
refusing to cut away. This is undoubtedly one of the most violent and bloody
theatrical releases of recent times.
Not
only are characters unexpectedly (and often shockingly) offed, but the whole
film has an omnipresent sense of threat throughout – as if any scene can
suddenly burst out into ultraviolence. Evans uses this well to ratchet up the
tension throughout, creating a very dark and nihilistic feeling of no escape, as
if no one is truly untouchable and every character is living on borrowed time.
Despite
its lengthy running time, The Raid 2
never feels overly long. Although it isn’t the succinct and perfectly formed
rollercoaster ride of it’s predecessor, the wider canvas of the story it tells indeed deserves a
lengthier movie. And there is certainly plenty of variation: highlights include
a twenty-against-one fight in a toilet cubicle (that swiftly puts to shame the
recent Captain America The Winter
Soldier’s lift scene), a muddy prison yard brawl, the return of Yayan
Ruhian (Mad Dog!) as a homeless assassin; and a hammer scene that quite easily
manages to leave that scene from Old Boy in the dust.
The
film isn’t without its faults, however. The fact that the original incarnation
(simply entitled Berendal) was in
pre-production before the original The Raid and
then later retro-fitted to be its sequel, does lead to some unevenness in the
story, and some of the ridiculously over-the-top fight sequences and almost
comic book characters (actual names: “Baseball Bat Man”, “Hammer Girl”)
occasionally stand at odds with the more realistic and gritty gangland tone
that the film strives for.
Taken
with a pinch of salt, however, these are minor quibbles and if you are able to
suspend your disbelief, they actually add a welcome colourful flourish to the
rogue’s gallery of the film. Evan’s The
Raid 2 is visually stunning, the action sequences push at the boundaries of
the genre, and it even occasionally finds the odd moment to be darkly funny. Calling
it a mixture of Infernal Affairs, The Godfather and a high-octane martial
arts movie all rolled into one sounds fairly ridiculous – and yet is pretty
accurate. If you can stomach the violence, this one is not to be missed.
14th April 2014
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