8) The Raid 2
The Raid might be one of the most ass-kicking movies of all time, so much so that one had to wonder how Gareth Evans would top such a relentless assault of Indonesian martial arts and skull-crunching action. Well, apparently the answer was simple – make a bigger, meaner, and badder sequel that keeps the same frantic fight sequences, but expands the universe beyond a simple tower.
Evans asserts himself as a solid storyteller and psychotic fight sequence choreographer through The Raid 2, making brawls from the original seem like child’s play thanks to some of the best hand-to-hand combat imaginable. The editing glides along like a brutal ballet of bloody proportions, highlighting astounding grace and style despite limitless broken bones, deadly combos and gang-related violence, sealing the deal on what could be described as The Godfather Part II of action movies.
The Raid 2 is an achievement I originally believed to be unattainable, but Gareth Evans happily proved me wrong with a sequel that people were actually crying out for.
Now it’s time for the franchise finisher.
Published: Dec 30, 2014 01:52 pm