The Raid ( Indonesian with subtitles ) Written and directed by Welshman Gareth Evans, this martial arts action film set in Jakarta, Indonesia is a breath-taking, non-stop, ludicrously gory romp of a movie. The plot seems unimportant - an elite special forces group attempt to raid a fifteen storey apartment block, owned, populated and controlled by a local drugs lord and his low-life pals. Once inside, their cover is blown and as the bullets fly, a small group are left to fight their way out. Done. It is the beautifully choreographed and artfully directed fight scenes that really stand out in the film, each one more ridiculous and painful than the last. The punches, kicks and snaps come thick and fast, leaving you feeling as breathless as if you had fought the bad guys yourself. The pacing, sound and editing of the film are really well judged, giving every impact maximum effect. The lead role of Rama is played by the superb Iko Uwais and you should expect to hear more from him and everyone involved in this film in the near future. There will probably be a sub-standard American remake too, as happens with any interesting or successful subtitled film. The Raid may not be to everyone's taste but nobody could deny that it is a really well put together piece of genre film making. A painful and wincing watching experience. Brutal fun. Stunning.
8.5 out of 10.
Cert 18 ( uk )
2012. 101mins
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