Underrated Films - The Raid

 

Well, this is a first. I'm reviewing a movie that wasn't made in America. Which was actually fun to do.

The Raid (or as it's called in here the U.S., The Raid: Redemption) is an Indonesian action thriller movie. It was produced by PT Merantau Films, XYZ Films, and Celluloid Nightmares and distributed by PT Merantau Films. The Raid was written and directed by Gareth Evans.

The story is, an elite Indonesian police squad have been deployed to an apartment block in the slums of Jakarta to bring in a dangerous crime lord. But when the crime lord is aware of this, he offers sanctuary to anyone who can bring in the team's heads. Now, the elite squad must fight their way to not only capture their target, but also survive.

Why It's Underrated

While the film does have a cult following, and was even named as an inspiration for the Cut Man fight scene in the Netflix's Daredevil series, it shares a common trait with other films I reviewed for this segment, and that's it's not brought up enough, which in return means not many people know about it.

My Thoughts

Now, I might get some flak for this but, there are two slight issues. One is Gareth Evans' directing. Now he is tremendously talented. He crafted a very dirty and grungy (and I mean that positive way) film. But there were a couple of scenes where the camera shook, but yet the scene itself was in-frame. It was a very odd stylistic choice.

Then there's character. While some characters do get somewhat of depth, it just didn't feel all that strong.

Alright, now this is part where I praise how much I loved this movie. Like I said previously, the film has a very dirty look. Now it makes because the film takes place in a slum, but it just looks very well crafted without giving away that this some sort of movie set.

Another praise I'll give is the score. Joseph Trapanese and Mike Shinoda, and if that name sounds familiar to you, it's because he's the vocalist for Linkin Park. They crafted an awesome score. While it's sleek and has some electro-rock beats to it, it matches perfectly with the overall tone of the movie.

Now for the big one, the biggest praise The Raid has ever received. That being the action. Oh boy, the action. While we do get some shootouts and an explosion, it's the hand-to-hand combat that seals the deal. It was just balls to the walls insane! It's intense bloody and bone breaking. Words fail to do the fight scenes justice, and I literally mean that. Even if I was to fully describe them in perfect detail, it's not enough. You have to see them.

While The Raid has its issues that doesn't change the fact that this movie is a thrill ride. If you're looking for some sort of pulp action flick, I think The Raid just might be for you.

My final rating is, Great.

Man I had a blast with this one! Anyways, that's going to do it for me. Come back on Saturday, Feb 3rd, for my review of Argylle. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.