When Gareth Evans unleashed The Raid: Redemption in 2011, it was a lean, relentless fight film that redefined modern action. Just three years later, The Raid 2 (2014) exploded onto screens—and instead of simply upping the ante, it expanded the scope. Bigger, bolder, and bloodier, The Raid 2 isn’t just a sequel—it’s a sprawling gangster epic drenched in operatic violence.
Plot Overview (Spoiler-Free)
Picking up just hours after the first film, The Raid 2 finds our battered hero, Rama (Iko Uwais), forced to go deeper undercover to protect his family and uncover corruption in Jakarta’s police force. But instead of another high-rise, he’s thrown into a far more dangerous battleground: the criminal underworld.
From prison yards to nightclubs, muddy fields to underground kitchens, Evans builds a world far more ambitious than the claustrophobic confines of the first movie—and the stakes are even deadlier.
Action Choreography: Art Meets Anarchy
If The Raid was a masterclass in hand-to-hand combat, The Raid 2 is a masterwork in action filmmaking. Silat—the Indonesian martial art—remains the heart of the action, but Evans adds layers: brutal car chases, gun battles, and extended set pieces that defy logic in their precision.
Highlights include:
-
The prison riot in the mud: Chaos made cinematic.
-
Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Man: Stylized, savage, and unforgettable.
-
The kitchen fight finale: One of the greatest fight scenes ever filmed.
Characters: Archetypes with Depth
Unlike the first film, where the focus was pure survival, The Raid 2 gives us a wider cast and deeper character arcs. Rama struggles with his identity, torn between duty and survival. Uco, the ambitious mob heir, craves power and respect, and his descent is both compelling and tragic.
And of course, we can’t forget Bejo, the flamboyant new villain whose quiet menace oozes through every frame.
Cinematography and Sound: Poetry in Violence
Matt Flannery’s cinematography is sleek and visceral, often placing the viewer inside the action. Long takes and fluid camera movement make the violence feel immersive without ever glorifying it. The score by Aria Prayogi and Fajar Yuskemal adds tension and emotional weight, pulsing with dread and release.
What Sets The Raid 2 Apart?
While many sequels aim for “more of the same,” The Raid 2 aims for evolution. It takes the compact genius of the original and folds it into a sprawling crime saga, with shades of The Godfather, Infernal Affairs, and Oldboy. It’s a gangster film first, an action film second—and a brilliant fusion of both.
Final Verdict
The Raid 2 is not just one of the best action films of the 2010s—it’s one of the most ambitious action films ever made. Violent, visceral, and virtuosic, it proves that action can be smart, stylized, and deeply cinematic.
Rating: 9.5/10