Were it not for certain professional and ethical concerns, I would probably write the words “hell yes” all in caps with a few exclamation points and call this review finished. Honestly, it is a difficult task to tell someone, articulately, why a movie such as The Raid: Redemption is worthwhile. So let me try, but if I devolve into a series of grunts and violent hand motions, you’ll have to forgive me.
Let’s just get the plot out of the way quickly – sort of like the film does. Rama is a rookie cop who is moral, well-trained, and in love with his pregnant wife. How do we know this? Because he wakes up, prays, trains rigorously, dresses like in his cop uniform, and then kisses his pregnant wife goodbye. He has reason to kiss his wife with a little more tenderness on this particular morning; he is about to go on a raid of a tenement block controlled by a ruthless criminal, populated by criminals, druggies, thugs, and killers. How do we know this? Because he is told so on the way to the building during one of those oh-so-typical briefing scenes that always seems to take place on the way to the objective, rather than somewhere more sensible.
Ok, yea, it’s all very cliche and simplistic, but who cares? This is an action film. No, let me try that again. This is an ACTION FILM.
Sorry, I almost lost it there.
Once everything goes to hell and the mission becomes hopelessly lost – as these missions are want to do – The Raid becomes something akin to Black Hawk Down but with fists and machetes instead of guns. Even though there are guns. Lots of guns. It’s a carnival of violence and the only rule is that there are no rules.
Sorry. It almost happened again.
Anyway, some more plot happens and things come to a resolution of a sort, but the real reason to seek out this film is the action. The star here, of course, is pentjak silat, the martial arts form of which everyone in this cinematic universe is a master. As far as I can tell, this is a form of combat that involves using every single inch of your own body as a kind of human wrecking ball and hoping that the other guy breaks before you do. And boy, does it make for some intense fight scenes. You contain more scenes of brutal, intense violence than three normal action films. Yet the joy here is in watching the absolute, stark, blistering artistry of some people who really know how to hurt each other.
This is the kind of movie that thrives on the premise that there will never be a moment that cannot be suddenly turned into an action scene. Every person is a fighter, every object is a weapon. The action choreographer is actually one of the main characters, which speaks both to the commitment to story and the commitment to action.
I’m not going to pretend The Raid is the revelation of action cinema some claim. I’m hard pressed to say why it rises above the usual action rabble. Intensity, sure. Frequency, yea. Exotic location? Well… not so much. For all the noise about this being a foreign film, I’ve found that in movies one run down tenement block looks like all the others. What really sets it apart is the care, attention, and sheer dedication to the craft of both the film and the fights. Everyone involved gives there all, and the results are exhausting, exhilarating, and engaging as hell!
…ahem
And that is that. Should The Raid be seen? Yes. Can I explain why? Only haltingly. However, that should be seen as a sign of this film’s elusive and visceral worth, more than anything else. Seriously, does anyone remain unconvinced? Are they still asking if they should see this movie? Allow me to be clear:
HELL YES!!
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This was, by far, my favorite action movie in years. The stunt-work was just unbelievably good.
Twitter: manilovefilms
April 25, 2012 9:50 am
Ok, I can ignore this thing no longer. My interest level has slowly gone from “That title sounds dumb, I am uninterested” to “Yeah, I agree with everyone else – why’d they add “Redemption” for the US” to “Hmmm, this really seems to be getting a decent amount of good buzz” to the current “Ok, I must see this soon.”
well i watched it twice.. coz the role maddog” is my frnd
… n i know he’s good enough in fight.. surprisingly he also good at acting as i remembered he almost like comedian now he play as sadist bad guy … offcourse this movie lots of flaws .. but for a low budget movie (us$1,1m) n short shooting time (3 months) this is not so bad 
…. n mayb some people not notice this… but its first time “muslim guy” as the good guy in movie at least after terorist isue… so i think this movie not so bad… if u search where the moral is? m tell ya “wht makes different between hero n bad guy” ,hero is “person with faith” thts all 
#lucy
Twitter: agracru
April 27, 2012 6:45 am
The reason The Raid is being praised as the next big thing in action is pretty simple: it’s composed perfectly. If fight scenes are the primary draw that brings us to watch action cinema in the first place– and they are– then I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that years from now we’ll look back on The Raid as a new classic in the genre. The movements are crisp and clean and easy to follow; the geography is firmly established; the choreography is kinetic and propulsive and exciting. If action is story in cinema, then The Raid could be a very strong contemporary example of how to do action correctly.
The other thing that makes The Raid so great is that the film understands the need for making its audience care. Sure, you’ll probably see films this year that have better-drawn characters, and The Raid won’t send you out of the theater ruminating on the nature of mankind, but it hooks you just enough to give a shit about the action that unfolds. We know little about Rama or, say, Jaka, but we know as much as we need to invest in them– so during the movie’s more suspenseful scenes (the machetes in the wall, Mad Dog holding Jaka at gunpoint) you feel something. Otherwise, you’d just be bored in between action beats.
Twitter: TapaidhNaomh
April 27, 2012 6:57 am
I concur with your further assessment. This is the rare action film the emphasizes the action with action, rather than nonsense camera elements. It lowers the barrier between you and the fights, and engages you an on indescribably visceral level. I did a podcast on this film with my friend Dan Gvozden in his and my new podcast, and I mentioned basically everything you did. I wasn’t taking this film to task for its shallow characterizations; I appreciated the economy.
Twitter: nevermindpop
April 27, 2012 11:03 am
Well that cinches it for me. My biggest concern was that the writing would not be up to snuff. It sounds like it was enough to satisfy at least.
Actually, the writing is not bad at all. And especially because the original script was English (then got translated to Bahasa) so the dialogues were fluent. And also keep in mind that this is the first installment of a trilogy, so if you find something that’s not thoroughly satisfy your curiosity (or your need to have a full grasp on the plot), think about it a bit like ‘foreshadowing’ for next sequels ;p