I have already been hearing some people divide the era of action movies pre- and post-Raid. Now, while it may be a little too early to tell if this admittedly excellent 2011 Indonesian action flick is THAT good,I must say, it has more energy and vitality than any action film I have seen for a LONG time. Unfortunately, this gem was in and out of American cinemas in the blink of an eye, and it didn't deserve to be.
The plot, like most action films, is not very involved. A group of 20 elite SWAT police raid a ruthless crime lord's headquarters in Jakharta. It is a 15-story tenement that is the home to what appears to be every scumbag with a gun or knife in Indonesia, as well as some scattered poor families. Once the team gets inside the building, all hell breaks loose as just about every tenant in the building is gunning to kill them.
Wow! What can I say? Asia has been pumping out some of the most refreshing and exciting action films in recent memory from China (Jackie Chan, John Woo, Chow Yun Fat and Jet Li, need I say more?) to Korea (Tae Guk Gi-The Brotherhood of War) to Indonesia (Ong Bak, Chocolate). I don't know if it has to do with the fact there aren't as many safety rules for stuntmen in these countries or what, but some of the most mind-blowing and exciting action sequences have come from there. While all of these films tend to be over the top, especially with the wire work, The Raid strips the action film to its essence; that is, pure, kinetic havok. I couldn't see a lot of the wire work in the film like the sort seen in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The Raid offers just good, old-fashioned, amazing fight choreography. As corny as it may sound, a well-choreographed fight scene takes on the same asthetic grandeur that the most expressive ballet can provide. They are basically the same thing, after all. Talented partners moving each other through a tight pattern of moves to produce a thrilling spectacle.
Now, for me, the great dividing point in action was undoubtedly Die Hard, although I could also argue the same for Raiders of the Lost Ark. In both, there was just the right amount of humor juxtaposed with white knuckle action that produced spectacles that had never been attempted before. But The Raid is a different animal. This is not mayhem and killing for laughs; this is pure action for its own sake. The movie spends very little setup time before it explodes into action. That action is relentless and does not let up. And while American audiences usually hate subtitles, which is probably why they stayed away from this incredible gem, don't let that deter you. This is one of the most exciting and ruthless action movies I have ever seen. What's interesting is that the movie Dredd came out a year after this, and is essentially the same plot. But as good as Dredd is, it doesn't hold a candle to the brutal action scenes of The Raid, and they are brutal. This movie is a pretty hard R with its violent content, but don't let that deter you. If you like action films, this is the one to see. While it may not be as satisfyingly entertaining as Die Hard with the added humor, The Raid is a movie that will leave you amped up, breathless, and full of adrenaline, like any exciting action film should be. It doesn't get much better than this.
Other similar suggested action films in this vein (some of which will also be in the HIDDEN GEMS series):
The Killer
Hard Boiled
A Bullet In The Head
Full Contact
Chocolate
Ong Bak
Police Story 1-3
Drunken Master 1-2
Dragons Forever
Once Upon A Time In China 1-3
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War
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