Known originally as The Raid until American distributors got their hands on it and added an unnecessary and cumbersome sub-title, The Raid: Redemption is a film that, on paper, I shouldn't have enjoyed anywhere near as much as I did.
Written and directed by Gareth Evans, this Indonesian work starring real life Silat martial arts masters is about one thing and one thing only: action. More narrowly, it's about expertly crafted sequences of hand-to-hand combat.
There is little to no character development other than an obligatory opening sequence at home with our protagonist and very little that can be described as actual plot. Yet The Raid accomplishes what it sets out to do with such brute, visceral force that it's impossible to ignore.
There isn't anything in the plot that can't be surmised from the language on the poster for the film. A group of elite cops enter a building in which a no-holds-barred crime lord has his headquarters. The cops plan on clearing the building floor by floor until they reach the bad guy, but an offer by the antagonist (I honestly don't remember his name, but seriously, it doesn't matter) for free lifetime residency to occupants of the building in exchange for stopping these officers quickly alters plans.
Find out what's happening in Moorparkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
What ensues is literally a bloodbath, with some business about crooked cops and a semi-worthy plot twist that is basically given away early on.
What ends up being the ultimate demise of most action movies is that they try to do too much and ultimately focus too little attention on their actual strengths. The Raid: Redemption does just the opposite. It knows what it is, and it jams it down your throat. This is not for the faint of heart or the easily squeamish. The graphic violence is at times hard to take without turning your head. At the very least, this will have you twisting and turning basically throughout.
No less than a handful of times did the entire audience let out audible moans at what was being shown. We're talking close-up shootings, machetes, hatchets, broken bones and anything else you can think of. But what's amazing is that the fighting sequences never get stale. The Raid always has something new up its sleeve, something that you aren't expecting (somehow), something that you likely haven't seen before.
There were also no less than a handful of fighting scenes that culminated with rapturous applause and cheering from the crowd. They are truly that good. The choreography is outstanding. This isn't your typical big-budget action, with close up shots and quick cuts that make it hard to really see what's happening. Often, these are wide, lingering shots that show us just how good these actors are at their true craft. Evans' direction of these sequences and the techniques used are about as good as it gets for this type of film.
Find out what's happening in Moorparkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The segues in between fights are very much in the style of horror movies. Picture someone hiding in a hall while the bad guy slowly walks down a tiled hallway while dragging his bloodied weapon behind him. It's these scenes that dramatically increase the tension, and make the audience simultaneously anticipate and dread the imminent battle for fear of what exactly is going to be seen.
The Raid: Redemption kicks the audience in the teeth from the outset, and never lets up. If you enjoy action movies, preferably the adrenaline fueled, blood-soaked type, than this is not to be missed.
Rated: 10/11
For all my reviews, visit: http://mastersofourdomain.blogspot.com/
Also, if you're interested in free screenings of films like this, visit UCLA Melnitz Movies at: http://gsa.asucla.ucla.edu/melnitz