Like the best fighters The Raid is brutal and economical. it doesn’t muck about and goes for knockout blows.
The basic story is set up very quickly, and we’re soon getting into the action. We’re not here for drama afterall. Unless by drama you mean knees to the face! In which case you will love the drama.
Set in a slum apartment block in Jakarta, the film makes use of a martial art I don’t believe I’ve seen before. Pencak Silat appears to me a mix of several different styles, with Thai Boxing being the most prominent. The fights are amazingly well choreographed and the actors more than up to the task. They are the best fight scenes I’ve witnessed since Ong Bak, and probably better. Less trickery and more kicking. Even with very little story I found routing for Iko Uwais’s Rama as he battled through the floors of the apartment.
I’m aware that there are plenty of people comparing this to last years Dredd. I can see what people are getting at, but the two films are quite different in their approach to action. By that I mean, both brilliant.
Special mention must be made of the soundtrack, by Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda. Great listen and I’m considering picking it up separately.
I’ve heard many shouts of ‘best action film in years!’. It is. If you want great fights that don’t let up and leave you thinking ‘what the fuck!’ then this is for you.
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