The Raid 2: A sequel done successfully.

 

When it comes to the often dreaded concept of sequels, there's always an underlying concern about whether they'll be any good, whether they live up to their predecessors and whether or not they're just a cash grab for a studio to profit off of. A highly successful movie is of course always going to catch the eye of wealthy executives and these types will often look at potentially making more movies or tv shows and spin offs to create as much money off of the IPs as possible. Sometimes they're made with just as much love and passion as the predecessors and we end up with a quality franchise such as Back to The Future, The Rocky movies, Zatoichi, etc. Other times, the sequels are made purely for the monetary gains and it shows especially in the modern age. For examples of sequels made without heart just take a gander at Disney Star Wars and their so called trilogy, it couldn't have been more blatantly obvious that Disney had no real plan and the results speak for themselves. There are also times where the franchise just runs out of steam and the writers run out of ideas. For example, look at the decline of the Fast and the Furious franchise and just how ridiculous it had gotten by the end. Needless to say, I am often a hard man to please when it comes to sequels and yet I try to keep an open mind despite often thinking that they're not always necessary.   

I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw The Raid 2. It could have simply been a cash grab with little thought or effort put into it and yet, as a movie it could be said to rival and even surpass it's predecessor. 

Gareth Evans distinguishes it from its predecessor within it's very first shot. Gone is the claustrophobic narrow corridors and concrete of the apartment complex seen within The Raid. In it's place we have extravagant long takes and wide vistas within the city of Jakarta where the story unfolds. This is a brilliant way to open as it's a solid distinction with Evans and his team making a statement that this is a different movie. It's wonderful because they show that merely attempting to re-tread the entire concept of the movie would be a mistake that would likely flop. What this does is showcase that they put a lot of effort and thought into this sequel and made it with passion. 

Picking up where the first movie left off, Rama undertakes an undercover operation given to him by the anti corruption unit run by Bunawar. As his alias Yuda, Rama goes to prison and meets up with and saves the life of Uco. As it turns out, Uco just happens to be the son of well known gangster, Bangun. By the time Rama is released from prison 2 years later, he has become Uco's right hand man. Uco is shown to be quite volatile and violent as he wants to wage war on rival gangs such as the one run by the Japanese gangster, Goto. Bangun refuses to allow Uco to start a war and thus Uco is forced to work with Bejo to start one. Needless to say, things go awry for our protagonist and he is forced to fight for his life. 

One of the areas in which this movie outshines it's predecessor is in the plot department. Where as The Raid offered something straight to the point with it focused on a SWAT teams mission to raid an apartment complex in order to capture a notorious crime lord, The Raid 2 is more of a sprawling gangster movie. It was inspired by movies such as The Godfather, Infernal Affairs and The Departed and it shows in the most positive way. What's particularly fascinating is the fact that this was supposed to be the first Raid movie but a lack of budget amongst other things forced Evans and team to instead make what became the first movie. I highly recommend everyone to check out all the behind the scenes stuff as it's interesting stuff. 

Of course, where The Raid 2: Berandal really shines is in the action department. It shouldn't come as a surprise as it followed a predecessor full of glorious action and was well known for delivering quality. Once again, Iko Uwais, Yayn Ruhian and team delivered exquisite, bone crunching choreography whilst Evans and his crew expertly frame each and every sequence and strike with finesse. Even the build up to each action sequence is handled admirably with moments of ominous, tense calm preceding the brutality. This time around, there's brutal, violent sequences featuring the use of various weapons such as a baseball bat, karambits and even a hammer. There's also a delightful car chase sequence made possible due to the city setting. There's a certain fight sequence towards the very end of the movie between Rama and the silent but deadly assassin within a kitchen that is simply one of the very best fight scenes ever made. The build up and pay off is remarkably done and the fight itself is straight out of an action fans wet dreams. Intense from start to finish, both fighters take punishment, dealing each other various wounds with a lot of blood being spilt. It's a desperate struggle for survival and a visceral treat for the eyes.

Praise has to be given for the performance of Iko Uwais as he makes Rama extremely likable and sympathetic. He has a certain level of charisma that makes the character appealing and not just some unstoppable killing machine. Yayan Ruhian also delivers a wonderful performance as he appears in a role entirely different from that of Mad Dog in the first movie. This time he portrayed Rakoso, a 60 year old failed husband and father and yet a faithful confidante and assassin for Bangun. Cecep Arif Rahman is also brilliantly intimidating as the silent assassin and showcases great presence in the role. 

Overall, this movie solidified Gareth Evans as a talented film maker, amongst the finest within the action genre with a unique style. It also helped propel Iko Uwais to stardom and to a lesser extent, his co stars. This movie is simply a must watch for any action fan and I say that as a man that has seen countless action movies during my life. It certainly caught Hollyweird's attention and at least partially led to the creation of the John Wick franchises. In any case, it's well worth a watch!