Five ways The Raid and The Raid 2 put modern Hollywood action films to shame

As you may have read previously, I was not very impressed with the recently released Expendables 3; despite a half decent final fight, the film fell flat because the action was so ho-hum and the characters too under-developed and minuscule. But then I bought the Raid 2 and was absolutely blown away by the movie and how it places itself above almost every other modern action film out there. Rather than a double review, I decided to do a simple list explaining why this foreign action series will win you over.

5. The editing is pitch perfect

Editing can make or break an action film and many Hollywood action movies range from competent to almost unwatchable (looking at you Transformers!) depending on how they have been shot. The Raid films just don’t suffer from this problem; it’s quite astonishing how the camera provides a crystal clear view of the action even in more tight areas such as a close combat sequence in a car in The Raid 2. Because the film’s action is so stellar, the filmmakers don’t feel the need to shake the camera constantly or film from repetitive angles to make the film seem more action packed. The films also make their mark on action cinema by refraining from cut-aways to show every inch of the combat on display.

4. The films have proper characters rather than basic stereotypes

Characterisation seems to have been thrown out the window with most action flicks. At a stark contrast with the flicks of the eighties which put effort into defining characters to make the audience care about their fates, today people go to see films based simply on who appears in the trailer and other advertising material or the subject material. It’s a marketing tactic which has allowed uninspired action flicks to still be successful even when their action sequences are so one-note. In The Raid and its sequel, the characters are strong and simple, with 2 giving plenty of detail to their struggles. If anything, the characterization in the two films is proof positive that The Raid shouldn't be judged by western audiences on the fact that its cast is made up of Indonesian actors, and later adding Japanese actors for the sequel; it adds to the authenticity of the film's setting and the martial arts portrayed therein.

3. Each scene is important and memorable

Countless action movies today fall into the trap of having throwaway scenes which really don’t contribute anything to the overall plot; instead they serve to force-feed the audience annoying comedy or try to put across the most basic kind of character development. Often times these scenes only serve to pander to the mainstream and pad out the film’s length to an overly-inflated level, but the Raid doesn’t suffer from this problem. By concentrating entirely on the plot and layering the action accordingly, the films become that much more engaging to watch, particularly Raid 2 with its deeper story of crime and corruption.

2. The combat is the complete opposite of desensitizing

In action movies nowadays, there’s always an obligatory fight scene where a group of protagonists get into a fight with the opposing force or the hero and villain slug it out towards the end of the film; we’ve seen it so many times that it becomes second nature and as such, these scenes become less memorable as a result. But with The Raid's superb implementation of the pencak silat martial art, the films always makes an impression. The hand-to-hand fighting is so visceral, brutal and impactful that every audience will be stunned and amazed by what’s on screen time and time again. Rather than being desensitized, you cringe and gasp whenever a foot, hand or knife strikes the body and this only adds to the tension the movies consistently carry.

1. The action is simply the best ever seen in a modern action film

The biggest reason of all though is that both movies provide action that is new, refreshing and maintains the tension throughout. Particularly in the second Raid film, there’s a variety of memorable sequences including car chases, martial arts, and gun battles which always keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Somehow Gareth Evans and company found a way to make the action genre fresh again; there’s never a single scene where we’re bombarded with endless explosions and computer generated effects and rather than the hero being an over-powered force, in both films Rama often finds himself outmaneuvered or outmatched by the villains he faces, making the plot much more unpredictable than your average flick. Above all else, the films keep you engaged across their run-times; the way the films are paced, meaning that there’s not a boring or samey action sequence in sight.

Now you know why The Raid movies are simply unstoppable in their pursuit of action movie stardom, I implore you, DON’T go and see The Expendables 3 and instead buy The Raid movies; they’ll blast you back in your chair like no other action film can.