Bad movies are much easier to review than good movies. When it comes to bad movies, there’s so much more to write about. A
problem arises when all you really want to say is, “You have to see this film.
Like right now.” There are only so many ways you can write, “Jaw dropping”,
“Spectacular” and “You need this movie in your life”. It doesn’t help of course
when there’s next to no plot to speak of, and that’s really not a criticism by the
way. The only downside to films like Ong Bak and The Warrior King is that the
plot - what little plot there is - gets in the way of the really good stuff.
Films like Merantau don’t find their feet until act two; The Raid on the other
hand, gives you five minutes to get comfortable.
In 2009, Welsh director Gareth Evans and martial
artist-turned-actor Iko Uwais introduced a worldwide audience to the martial
arts style of pencak silat. Merantau was born, and with it, a rising star
capable of giving Tony Jaa a run for his money. It was only a matter of time
before they knocked down some walls with The Raid, an intense action movie
about a SWAT team's attempt to ‘quietly’ extract a powerful drug lord from an
apartment block filled with dangerous criminals. That pretty much describes the
entire plot of the movie. As you might expect, the SWAT team's cover is blown,
and after somebody on the inside hits the panic button, the ill-advised mission
falls foul of relentless gun battles, extreme ass kicking and glistening knife
fights. If you’re looking for wall-to-wall action this month, you’re unlikely
to find a more literal definition.
You know your spending time in the company of a serious bad
ass when, at the end of the first act, he lays down his weapon and says, “Screw
this, lets kick the crap out of each other instead”. From this point forward
The Raid is a master class in martial arts filmmaking. As good as Uwais is , and
he is undeniably awesome in this, the real star of the show is stunt
coordinator Yayan Ruhian, who takes on the role of chief bad ass Mad Dog. If
you thought Iko’s rookie cop was a force to be reckoned with, wait until
you get a load of this pint sized wonder. A man who compares killing a person
with a gun rather than his hands to getting a takeaway. At no point will you
believe that this man couldn’t take on the world and win, such is the
ferociousness of Indonesia’s feistiest mutt. It’s an awe-inspiring spectacle
from start to finish, an exercise in unadulterated whoop-ass that must be
seen to be believed.
Evans has been sharpening his tools for the last few years
and its evident in every frame of The Raid. A blistering stairwell shoot out
sets the tone early on, and it’s hypnotising stuff, despite a nagging concern
that Evans might be pulling his punches. Those fears are laid to rest when
Rama (Uwais) goes on the rampage with his trusty truncheon. Throats are slit,
limbs are severed and fridges are blown out of the window. The Raid takes
ultra-violence to the next level and it's a beautiful thing. Character
development and storyline are kicked to the dirt as the bar is raised into the
stratosphere, but if you’re looking for motivation, plot twists and hooks,
there’s just about enough to keep you invested on an emotional level – but only
just. The rest of the film is devoted to bone crushing fight sequences and
breathtaking stunt work that never gets old.
It would be easy to criticise The Raid for being a one trick
pony, but there’s little chance of you caring as the film races towards its mesmerising
– and brutal – conclusion. The Raid 2 is currently in production and Evans has
said that the sequel is the film he wanted to make in the first place. If The
Raid was his back up plan, it’s hard to imagine what he has in store for us
next time out. But we’ll certainly be there. You, me and the fridge. AW
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