Review The Raid 2 : Berandal
23:31After bringing down a notable Jakarta slum lord, rookie cop Rama ( Iko Uwai s) learns from anti-corruption task force leader Bunawar ( ...
After bringing down a notable Jakarta slum lord, rookie cop Rama (Iko Uwais) learns from anti-corruption task force leader Bunawar (Cok Simbara) that his only chance of protecting his family and evading more prominent members of Indonesian organized crime is to erase himself from the files and go undercover. Assuming a new identity as "Yuda," Rama inserts himself in prison where he befriends Uco (Arifin Putra), the only son of influential mob boss Bangun (Tio Pakusadewo). Once released, Yuda begins work for the family doing menial strong-arm and collection tasks alongside Uco. But when the brash, impatient heir to the empire decides to wait no longer, he sets in motion a catastrophic chain of events that will pit Yuda against the most powerful rulers of Indonesia's criminal underworld – and the most dangerous assassins in their employ.
The level of expectations of surpassing the Raid: Redemption will not disappoint any action junkies. A barrage of set-action sequences from a muddy prison (uncontrollable chaos) to several people being decimate with the use of a baseball bat and a pair of claw hammers (with close-up gore that can only rival horror movies), a fantastic car chase that might have been the one of the very best choreographed sequence in recent memory and a final fight scene that will leave you breathless from its intensity and insanity.More complex, violent and brutal, the director and writer Gareth Evans brilliantly continuing to shock audience from his wild imagination in "The Raid: Trilogy". Like the first movie, "The Raid 2: Berandal" shows awesome martial arts that has already been trademark at this franchise. All fighting technique and movement are choreographed beautifully. There are plenty fighting scenes in this movie that gives hardly to pick the one best scene. Also added larger scale in storyline which hadn't found in "The Raid: Redemption" makes it more interesting to follow.
Unfortunately, the movie isn't without it's fault. In what city or country exactly are we talking here??? The background when Prakoso died, he died in an alley with snow (all the white thing) I presume, but it suddenly weird when the background of Bejo and Cecep that says "Mie Ayam" or something like that. since when Indonesia have winter season? It suffers with overlong duration and some minor mistakes. Probably it's fun to see bloody violence and killing scenes but would feel too much when exploited almost non-stop in 2 and a half hour length. Despite some weaknesses, "The Raid 2: Berandal" is incredible in martial arts aspect and the last 30 minutes of the movie is an epic tense. Can't wait what surprises Gareth Evans could offer at "The Raid 3".
