Review of The Raid 2 (2014) by Silverscreensno — 26 Apr 2014

Be aware, this film is The Raid 2, not The Raid the second. The difference being, people should not expect more of the exact same, this franchise has evolved.

The film picks up about half an hour after the first one, with the hero, Rama, now having to go undercover to find more corrupt cops and protect his family.

If The Raid could be likened to films such as Assault on Precinct 13 then the second film can be described as part Infernal Affairs, part The Godfather. The action is still there, extreme and over the top (not a complaint), but Evans has still kept the tension that made the original so extraordinary.

The final fight scene is immense and superior to the confrontation in number one between Rama and Mad Dog. Where that was raw and gritty, The Raid 2 produces an exchange that is technically amazing and visually stunning.

I was worried that stretching the run time from 100 minutes to two and a half hours would damage the film. Although the film could easily be trimmed down by about 30 minutes, I wasn't sitting in my seat praying for the end; the balance between action and tension kept my interest until the very end.