The Raid Movie Review

Starring: Iko Uwais

Directed By: Gareth Evans

Year: 2011

The Raid, also known as The Raid: Redemption, is an Indonesian action movie starring Iko Uwais. Uwais plays Rama, a special tactics officer who is a Silat practitioner, and expert martial artist. He joins a team of 20 other elite tactical officers, all are also expert martial artists, gearing up for the biggest raid in their criminal history. Crime lord Tama Riyadi (Ray Sahetapy), owns an apartment block in the slums, allowing criminals to rent the units under his protection. Rama with his team sneak into the apartment block and proceed to engage in battle with Tama’s security forces, defeating some of them mercifully matching the aggression towards them. The events that proceed to take place in this film have been the most violent martial arts fight scenes I have ever seen. Only Rama along with 4 members of his team, were able to survive all the onslaughts and attacks. After splitting up with the team, Rama would come to encounter his estranged brother, Andi (Donny Alamsyah), who helped him by killing two of Tama’s men inside an elevator. Andi lived in the apartment slums, a prime product of the environment, and worked under Tama. Rama was asked to bring Andi home by there father, which is why he signed up for this raid in the first place. The brothers exchange a mutual respect for each others way of living, however Andi refuses to leave the criminal lifestyle. Forced to part ways, Rama went in search for his comrades to find them, and Andi would end up returning to Tama. Tama was aware of Andis deception so he had him captured and sent him to be killed by his top killer Mad Dog (Yayan Ruhian). Andi eventually is rescued by Rama, who team up together to engage in an award winning battle against Mad Dog. Superb fight choreography from start to finish, I felt each strike; my legs were twitching after each kick! The brutal deaths endured by each criminal were very satisfying along with the well put together action sequences. In the end Rama is betrayed by one of his men, Lt. Wahyu (Pierre Gruno), who ends up killing Tama, after finding out he too was also betrayed. Wahyu is then detained after attempting suicide with an unloaded weapon. Andi, in using his clout, was able to allow Rama and his remaining team, along with a detained Wahyu, to leave peacefully from the apartment block, however unsure on what the future holds for everyone. This is a 5 out of 5 star movie which has an amazing sequel, and appears to be a continuing franchise.