REVIEW: The Raid (2011)

Runtime: 101 Mins
Rated: R
What To Expect: The reigning king shit of 21st century action

I’m updating some old reviews at the minute that are not properly categorized, I’m updating the site soon with a browse-by-score structure. A look back at The Raid then. I didn’t dig the second movie much, to me the original is a superior work of art.

What happens when you put the original Die Hard on amphetamines? ‘The Raid’ is what the fuck happens. A team of SWAT attempt to clear out an apartment tower held up by a gang lord with his own little army, get cut off and find themselves in a predicament that John McClane would pay good money to get into. The Raid is a heart-rush of satisfaction. It moves at 100mph but not once does it drop in visual coherence. This is how real action is directed, big league hacks like Christopher Nolan should take notice. There’s a difference between a fast paced knock-out fight and a fast-paced mess. You want more of it, and before you even know it The Raid is giving it to you. And this goes on for a near ceaseless 100 minutes.

The Raid swaggers its way past every CGI-ridden critic’s darling out there. The Raid is a violent film, but never lowers itself to cheesiness. Every act of violence serves a purpose, and it pulls no punches in delivery. It’s also a movie that loves its knives and guns. It’s nice to get a good sexy shot of each weapon, this film delivers that kind of image in spades. You’ve probably guessed it by now but the fight scenes are fucking heavyweight. Choreography that is outstanding and camera-work that makes all of that intricacy worth it. Because after all, what the hell is the point if you can’t see shit? This is what the likes of the Bourne franchise can only wish it was giving its fans.

Whatever they call this decade we’ve just entered, the one before the 20’s, this is the benchmark for it so far. The Raid is delivered on a budget and I can’t really think of anything coming close to it in recent memory. Iko Uwais and Gareth Evans are two names we better be seeing a lot more of. Fuck off Tom Cruise, Matt Damon and Daniel Craig, someone else does it fifty times better.