9.06.2012

Quick Shot: The Raid - Redemption


2012
Directed by: Gareth Evans
Category: Badass Cinema

I know I'm really late jumping on the bandwagon with this one. The problem is that it only now hit DVD where I live and the one week it was showing in our theaters, I was unable to attend. So here we are.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet.
The Raid is hands down one of the best action and martial arts films I've seen in the last 20 years. It's fucking brutal in it's depiction of violence, which often seems endless, and it's stunningly shot and choreographed by director Gareth Evans and up and coming star Iko Uwais (Merantau) that I hope it becomes an inspiration for other filmmakers, to show you that you don't have to revert to shaky cam quick edit bullshit to make a film like this. You can use good ol' fashioned filmmaking and still achieve the same results.

What really works for this film is that the premise is pretty simple and straightforward. An elite special forces team is assigned to storm a building run by a drug lord. When the team enters the building, they become trapped and sabotaged by the drug lord and his small army and must fight there way through the many stories  just to make it out alive.

It's simple, yet very effective because while there are a few surprises in store when it comes to the story, it's really all about the bone crunching fight scenes and the insane amount of blood and violence on display, and oh how beautiful it is. The action and fight scenes come fast and furious (no slow mo in here) and amazingly choreographed. Some of the stuff on display in here, I've never seen put on film before and it literally blew me away.

This guy Iko Uwais, he's gonna be huge. Such a natural talent in front of the camera, and one hell of a martial artist. He helped choreograph the fights in here as well, and if this is just the beginning of his career, I can only imagine what he has in store for us in the near future. I was already blown away with him in Merantau, and this just solidifies his "Badass" stature in the world of Badass Cinema.

See it! Just do it. Don't think, just do it.

7 comments:

  1. Yeah, this was a lot of fun. Great premise, great execution and the action was really well choreographed. Some of the fight scenes were insanely long. Loved the "Mad Dog" character, he was very memorable. Shame, he had to die.

    I'm hoping Uwais and Evans are able to top this on their next film.

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    1. If those two continue to make films together, we will be very happy action fans indeed. :)

      That guy has a presence. I still can't believe this is only his second film. He's just got something about him. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts learning English and hits Hollywood one day.

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  2. Great review. Can't agree more. This is the action film to beat in 2012...and with 2012 almost over, it hasn't been topped yet.

    The action scenes and stunts are absolutely amazing to watch.

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    1. Man, you know? I don't think this will be beat for a few years. It was insanely clever in it's depiction of violence and the fight sequences in general were simply amazing and brutal. Aaahhhh! I wanna see it again!!! lol.

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    2. Lol. Agreed...this won't be beat for a long time.

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  3. Sounds like the plot for the new Judge Dredd movie. Thanks I'll have to check it out.

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    1. You know, it's very similar. But it doesn't take away from the fact that this is one of the best bone-crunching action films to come out in years. This thing was crazy awesome.

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