The Raid 2

2014 sequel

Rating: 15/20

Plot: The cop guy from the first movie infiltrates a crime syndicate.

The first Raid movie was almost wall-to-wall action, and it might as well have been completely plotless. This plot is far more complex. But I'm not sure anybody watches a movie like this for the plot. No, this is all about the bone-crunching action, and it delivers that by the wheelbarrow, likely more than you'll need to satiate your need for that sort of thing. The action choreography doesn't seem possibly. Note a prison yard filled with mud and about a hundred inmates and a scene that appears to be one unbroken shot. The timing of all of that mayhem, the power of that brutality, and the creativity of the violence is impressive, both visceral and artful. It was absolutely insane. Later, star Iko Uwais channels Bruce Lee in The Game of Death as he moves past adversaries to get to the big boss. No, it's not entirely realistic, but as choreographed fisticuffs come, I'm not sure you can find better. I remarked to my son, who was in the same room but not watching this one, that it really looked like people were being hurt in these fight scenes and stunts. There's a little Jackie Chan in there with the use of props and the use of human beings colliding with grounds and walls in ways that caused my teeth to hurt a little bit.

There's a lady with hammers, a guy with a baseball bat, and a dude named The Assassin who probably deserve their own prequels. There's a bit in this where they juxtapose these three characters doing their thing in different settings, and it made me shit my pants. I'm not even kidding.

This is definitely worth watching if you're a fan of the genre.