I have a few other reviews in the works, but I really wanted to get this one out because I am not sure how long The Raid 2 will be in theaters and that it was so awesome... all must know!
Note: I really haven't given much away spoiler-wise, so don't worry!
The Raid 2
I wasn't sure they could do it, but The Raid 2 actually
outdid its predecessor. Not only did they ramp up the violence, but we got more
kick ass martial art fights, an amazing car chase and some ridiculously awesome
characters. The story was also better. Where
The Raid: Redemption is a straight up action movie, The Raid 2 is more of a
gangster movie merged with a martial arts action flick. The result is a highly
entertaining, adrenaline fueled experience.
The Raid 2 picks up right where the last film ended. Rama
ends up going undercover into Jakarta's
criminal underworld in the hopes of exposing corrupt cops. In the process, he
gets caught in the middle of a mob war and things go crazy. The sequel
obviously had a bigger budget than the first as there were many locations used
(rather than just a high-rise) with sometimes elaborate sets. There were also a
lot of cars wrecked and pretty much an entire kitchen destroyed in an insane
end battle with the number one henchman Andi.
As for memorable characters, Raid 2 has several. Beyond the
sickle welding Andi, we got Hammer Girl, a deaf woman who viciously fights with
a pair of hammers. It's as brutal as it sounds. She is joined by "Baseball
Bat Man," a deranged fighter who drags a metal baseball bat with him.
Beyond using that weapon, he also can hit a baseball with deadly accuracy at
his opponents... an interesting take on a 'sniper.' A word of warning, if he
asks for his baseball back, you best give it to him.
Jonny and I were delighted to see the return of Yayan
Ruhian, who played Mad Dog in the last film. The man is an immensely talented
martial artist and was the standout villain of the Redemption, bringing with
him a screen presence of pure intimidation. Ruhian, like in the last film, is
the fight choreographer... which is why the fights are so awesome. In this
movie, he plays a different character (kind of had to... Mad Dog couldn't make
it to the sequel) named Prakoso, a sympathetic mob hit man who's also an
unmitigated bad ass. He isn't the main villain this time, but make no mistake
he is a major scene stealer!
My biggest gripe was that whomever did the subtitling needed
to allot more time for the audience to actually read the dialogue. This wasn't
a constant problem, but at times it did make the plot harder to follow. Unlike
the last film, the subtitles are pretty important to understand what is going
on. For those who have issues with subtitles, I would recommend waiting for the
Blu-Ray release that, like Redemption, will probably have an English dub.
The Raid 2 is a must see for any action or martial arts
movie fan. Like I said, I think its better than The Raid: Redemption... which
is no small feat. That movie was frickin' awesome to begin with. Seriously, go
see The Raid 2 before it leaves theaters. I can't recommend this movie enough.
Jonny's Contribution - I can't decide which psychotic
hench-woman I would rather sleep with and then inevitably be murdered by...
Go-Go Yubari (from Kill Bill) or Hammer Girl.
Seeing as how they're both fictional characters, how about both at once?
Seriously? I didn't know that was an option! Make sure to tell everyone at my funeral exactly how I died! I want my eulogy to brag, dammit!
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