SXSW 2012 Review: The Raid
The action movie genre has been stagnant for quite some time. Sure, we get plenty of “action” movies full of posturing and special effects, but films like Taken or The Losers are lazy, sad excuses for action. We’re far from the golden days of Jackie Chan and John Woo, left with only the occasional Tony Jaa or Jason Statham movie to sate our appetite. Nothing makes this lack of quality more apparent than a movie like The Raid.
The Raid drops like an atomic bomb on the genre, completely destroying the competition. It’s simple and to the point. This is a movie about shooting and punching, and how cool those things are. We don’t get special effects laden video game cutscenes that lack any real thrill. We get real stuntmen doing real stunts, and doing them with an intensity and inventiveness that I haven’t seen since Jackie Chan was in his prime. You’ll absolutely see things here that will make you want to stand up and cheer.
One of the best things about the raid is how direct it is. The plot synopsis is the whole plot. Police officers need to “raid” a criminal owned apartment building. The movie starts as they begin the raid, and ends when the raid is over. There is no build-up, no bullshit. This is nearly two hours of non-stop action.
There is also a fun transition from a guns and explosions film to a martial arts film. The first half of The Raid is all intense firefights and has a frantic warzone feel. As the numbers and ammunition dwindle though, we start getting into the incredible hand to hand fights, all building up to one of the best fights ever committed to screen.
Most of these martial arts displays are courtesy of Iko Uwais, a new face to the action scene and the most exciting thing since Tony Jaa. Unlike Jaa, however, Uwais actually has charisma. You like the guy as a character, not just as a stunt machine.
Uwais is pitted against some of the best villains in recent memory. The main crime lord has a wonderful easy-going confidence with just the right amount of sleaze, and his diminutive henchman proves to be an equal match to Uwais’ fighting skills.
If I was forced to find fault here, I would say that the action peaks a bit too early. While the last half hour or so is a nonstop brawl, the individual moments within fights become less memorable as time goes on. You could also criticize the lack of depth in both the characters and the story, but that would be stupid. Character and depth are not why you are here. You get just enough to know who you are supporting and to possibly care about them enough that you’d want to see what happens in the sequel, of which two are planned.
If director Gareth Evans, who also directed Uwais in the film Merantau, can keep up the same level of insane action for the entire Raid trilogy, action fans have something to be very excited for indeed.
