Today’s quick review: The Raid: Redemption. Rama (Iko Uwais), a rookie cop with a pregnant wife, risks his life when he joins a raid on an apartment building ruled by Tama Riyadi (Ray Sahetapy), an untouchable drug lord. Sergeant Jaka (Joe Saslim) leads Rama and the other officers into the building in search of Tama. But the operation turns into a bloodbath when Tama’s men ambush them, forcing Rama to fight and kill in order to survive.
The Raid: Redemption is an Indonesian martial arts action thriller. The movie takes a simple premise and executes it with rare skill. Two dozen police officers square off against an entire building full of criminals in a fight to the death. The Raid features brutal action from start to finish. Every fight is fast-paced and desperate, with a variety of setups that include guns, knives, batons, and an impressive array of improvised weaponry.
The Raid goes far on the quality of its stunt work. Every stunt in the movie is sharply executed, and the athletic prowess on display from Iko Uwais, Doni Alamsyah, and Yayan Ruhiah is enough to carry the film by itself. The Raid supplements its action with tight direction that does an excellent job of managing tension, preparing the audience for the next bout of violence.
The result is a masterful action movie that delivers bloody violence in spades. The Raid: Redemption is a must-see for fans of the violent side of the action genre. It does not have much to offer in the way of story, but the skill and originality of its stunts make it a riveting watch for anyone who can stomach the gore. Those looking for anything other than violent action may want to skip it.
For a violent action movie with more character and style, try John Wick and its sequels. For a bloody science fiction movie with a highly similar premise, check out Dredd.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for phenomenal stunts and visceral direction.