Synopsis
The Raid 2, or as it is sometimes referred, The Raid 2: Berandal is an action crime epic from Indonesia directed by Gareth Evans, who also served as the writer. The film is a direct sequel to The Raid: Redemption, from 2011, and this second part of the film is a direct sequel to the 2011 film and retains the hyper-violence and choreography of action that has become cult. As compared to the first film which was an action-thriller, The Raid 2, this is an expansive crime saga and is martial-arts blended brutally with the crime family saga that feels like The Godfather is crossed with John Wick.
The film continues from the first Raid: Redemption ends. Rama, an elite Jakarta police officer, who survived the atrocities in the first part of the film, is . Even though he has completed the mission, Rama is told by an anti-corruption task force that policr corruption is far more widespread than he has imagined.
To connect with Uco, the son of the most powerful crime lord in Jakarta, Bangun, Rama assumes the false identity of “Yuda,” gets himself arrested and gains access to Uco (Arifin Putra). Uco and Rama have already met in prison, where Uco trusts Rama because he helps him during a merciless, mud-ridden prison riot. After serving his time, Rama gets pulled into the criminal underworld, which is no surprise for someone as resourceful as him.
While Bangun leads a tight, well organized, and relatively peaceful criminal business in partnership with the Japanese Yakuza, his son Uco is deeply impatient. Uco forms a secret alliance with Bejo (Alex Abbad), a sadistic and desperate crime lord hungry for uncontrolled power. This alliance seeks to destabilize the current order in order to rise to the top, and it is no secret that even a fraction of Uco’s father’s power would enable him to be a greatly recognized figure.
While Rama is trying to balance his secret mission with staying alive, the city of Jakarta experiences a complete breakdown of order. In this shift, Bejo and Uco spark a gang war filled with betrayal, mass killing, and total chaos in the streets. Rama gets stuck in the eye of the storm, having to fight for his life as alliances shift and the death toll rises.
The film culminates in a breath-taking climax rife with betrayal and a multitude of extravagant, action-packed sequences like hand-to-hand combat, car chases, and encounters with assassins like Hammer Girl (Julie Estelle), Baseball Bat Man (Very Tri Yulisman), and the lethal The Assassin (Cecep Arif Rahman).
Rama, a character in the film, faces the final battle of the corrupt police officials, and gang leaders he has fought against alongside his inner turmoil, and the ruins of his past which he has fought against. After what feels like an endless, grueling, yet purifying final battle, Rama emerges damaged yet triumphant and stating he is done with the fighting, broken the cycle of violence.
The cast and crew include:
Director & Writer:
Gareth Evans is known of the Welsh filmmaker who changed the face of modern martial arts cinema with Indoensian talent. In The Raid 2, Evans moves from the tight structure of the first film into a sprawling crime narrative, yet maintains his signature style of fight choreography. The balance of operatic storytelling with hyper realism is a hallmark of his direction, and elevates the film beyond standard action fare.
Primary Actors:
Iko Uwais as Rama / Yuda
As a Silat martial artist, Uwais as Rama delivers yet another physically torturous and emotionally complex performance. Both a champion fighter and tormented individual, Rama deeply feels his conflicts. While Uwais’s fighting abilities rely on his skills in martial arts and combat, his performance in the film as a man who is slowly falling apart and is deeply tormented adds the film’s emotional intensity.
Arifin Putra as Uco
As a melodramatic and wild character, Uco’s Shakespearean portrayal is tragic and captured his vengeance and doom’s strike. Both a reflection and an opposing perspective to Rama, Putra serves as a dangerous blend of attractive and violent.
Tio Pakusadewo as Bangun
Pakusadewo’s character is the composed yet dangerous crime lord. He is the ruler of the underworld and crime scene, and he is controlled and disciplined in an old-fashioned way. In a world dominated by pecuniary ferocity, his performance delivers crime narrative subtlety with immense strength.
Alex Abbad as Bejo
As the flamboyant and wicked Bejo as the antagonist, he symbolizes the new phenomenon of violent, excessive ambition. He is wildly unpredictable, vicious and, no less, extremely inventive with sinister villainry.
Supporting Csat Highlights:
Julie Estelle as Hammer Girl
Julie Estelle plays a hitman who does not speak and is tragic character with a sad story, fights with the use of hammers. She is a combatant, and her combat scenes are especially memorable as they are gratifying and delightfully brutal.
Very Tri Yulisman as Baseball Bat Man
As Hammer Girl’s sibling as well as her partner in assassination, his use of the baseball bat in the film is unique. One of the strangest and most memorable action scenes in the film is when he uses the bat.
Cecep Arif Rahman as The Assassin
Largely silent, he is a quiet but deadly character who fights Rama in a climactic kitchen duel. This duel is considered one of the all-time best one-on-one martial arts fights and is revered for its intensity.
Cinematography
Matt Flannery – The film’s action, including the martial arts scenes, is for the most part well executed. The camera work is energetic as well as graceful. There is no rapid cam or jerky cuts. One of the film’s best features is the clarity of the action.
Music
Joseph Trapanese with Aria Prayogi and Fajar Yuskemal – The music score features dominating electronics fused with traditional Indonesian music. This combination is great for boosting the intensity of both the drama and the action in the film.
IMDb Ratings and Critical Reception
The Raid 2 has an IMDb rating of 7.9/10, and is regarded by critics and fans as one of the best action films of the 2010s. While the first film earned accolades for its straightforwardness and relentless pacing, The Raid 2 was praised for it’s ambition, world-building, and narrative complexity.
Critical Acclaim:
Action Choreography: The movie has some of the most intricate and elaborate preeminent fight scenes of all time. Each punch, kick, and stab is performed to perfection. Everything is impactful, and the choreography is flawless, creating the illusion of real brutality.
Cinematic Scope: The expansion of the narrative is likened to The Godfather or Infernal Affairs as Evans takes a simple survival storyline and converts it into a sprawling crime saga.
Character Depth: Unlike most action films, The Raid 2 takes the time to develop its characters. Rama is not a superhero at all, he is broken and weary, and increasingly disillusioned.
Cultural Impact: The Raid 2 showcased Indonesian action cinema and aportioned it with the iconic Pencak Silat martial art to the world.
Criticism:
Pacing: Some viewers felt the middle of the movie dragged with a 2.5 hour runtime. This is especially true for viewers accustomed to the rapid pacing of the first film.
Violence: The filmmaker’s approach to action violence is graphic, dismemberment, headshots, and extended surveillance of systematic beatings all displayed with unflinching brutality.
Complex Plot: The narrative has many moving parts with new characters and interweaving criminal alliances creating a complex web which may be challenging to comprehend.
While bordering on subjective critique, the majority of The Raid 2 is universally accepted as a modern cinematic benchmark for excellence in action and fight choreography.Conclusion
The Raid 2 is one of the few sequels that both lives up to and perhaps surpasses the original. The movie features tremendous martial arts along with a deep and resonant operatic story. Instead of mindless fight scenes, as many would expect, The Raid 2 is filled with action that has been crafted with care and is deliberately placed amidst a morally complex world filled with betrayal and personal sacrifice.
The film has unforgettable characters and brutal set pieces, and its ambition is stylistic. The Raid 2 redefines what action movies can be. Action films do not have to sacrifice depth for adrenaline and The Raid 2 does both, with bone-crushing brilliance.
For fans of action, martial arts, and crime films, The Raid 2 is a must watch. It is a lesson in how to escalate a story while remaining rooted in its fierce and beautiful essence.
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