My quick rating – 7.8/10. (I am not changing my rating from 8 years ago) Has it been 10 years since The Raid 2 first came out? I am taking a revisit with this one due to an upgraded dubbed version, which is easier on my old eyes. IMO, this is one of those rare times where the sequel is actually better than an exceptional first flick. This time around, Rama (Iko Uwais) goes undercover with the thugs of Jakarta and plans to bring down the syndicate and uncover the corruption within his police force.
Shortly after the first Raid takes place, he is offered this opportunity in return for wiping his slate clean as if nothing happened. There isn’t much to add about this since it again showcases incredible choreography in the fight scenes, which are leaning more towards art, to be honest. The action is non-stop leaving your eyes little time to adjust. Instead of just being a carbon copy of the first, this one expands into a full-blown gangster flick.
The characters each have their own unique traits, regardless of being on the good or evil side. The duo of “Hammer Girl” and “Bat Man” is just two exceptional examples of this and will stick in your head after it ends. They are played by Julie Estelle and Very Tri Yulisman, respectively, and as far as Estelle goes, her newcomer status in action movies is just a testament to how well the crew behind the scenes could truly work their magic under Gareth Evans direction. There are entire fights that are just so memorable, but it is hard to beat anything like the one between Uwais and the assassin played by Cecep Arif Rahman, who both are masters in pencak silat, which is a native martial art style of Indonesia.
Click here to check that fight out if you want a taste of what to expect, and believe me, there are more that will leave you just as much in awe of their talents. It isn’t something to throw around lightly but calling The Raid 2 one of the best action movies ever is not far off from any critic. Both of these movies immediately come to my mind when anyone asks for action recommendations, and for that reason, I will suggest you add both to your watchlist if you haven’t already graced yourself with their brilliance.
JustWatch has quite a few streamers for this one including Amazon.
1 thought on “The Raid 2 (2014)”