Review of The Raid 2 (2014) by Martin T — 10 Aug 2014

The Raid was the best pure action film in years, and had some of the most wince-inducing martial arts sequences since Ong-Bak. International success demanded a sequel, but instead of rehashing the original, Welsh writer-director Gareth Evans chucks Iko Uwais' whirlwind rookie cop Rama into a fully-fledged organised crime epic (2.5 hours long!). In gang movie terms it's nothing particularly new; ageing bosses, upstart footsoldiers, precocious sons and corrupt cops abound.

The Raid 2's success is in successfully mixing the plot with the hyper-real, ultraviolent action scenes of the first film. And there's no shortage of sequences that'll have you sucking air over your gums like a plumber giving an unwelcome quote. And just to add extra spice, Evans throws in some comic-book-esque characters, from a machete-wielding enforcer masquerading as a tramp to a deaf female assassin who uses hammers in ways that would give Oldboy nightmares.