Jump to content

Dementeleus

The Raid 2: Berandal (2014)

By Dementeleus, in Review That Movie! (Spoilers Allowed)

The Raid 2: Berandal (2014)  

30 members have voted

  1. 1. Grade it


Recommended Posts



Jake Gittes Global Phenomenon

Jake Gittes

Posted
Posted (edited)

Pretty much. Nearly all the action is magnificent (I especially loved the subway fight and, of course, the un-fucking-believable kitchen fight) but for most of the first 90 minutes Evans is piling on a lot of uninspired, uninteresting, messily edited plot and dialogue, and it's often a real drag. It doesn't help that Iko Uwais doesn't have much screen presence when he's not fighting, which is especially noticeable since the various baddies are all colorful and charismatic in their own ways. I admire Evans' desire not to repeat himself and really play with the scope, but making a crime saga out of The Raid is like making a sophisticated romantic drama out of a porn movie. In the end, it's kinda pointless. Ultimately a mixed bag with some really amazing highs and some really obvious lows.

Edited by Jake Gittes
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Dementeleus Cinematic Universe

Dementeleus

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Pretty much. Nearly all the action is magnificent (I especially loved the subway fight and, of course, the un-fucking-believable kitchen fight) but for most of the first 90 minutes Evans is piling on a lot of uninspired, uninteresting, messily edited plot and dialogue, and it's often a real drag. It doesn't help that Iko Uwais doesn't have much screen presence when he's not fighting, which is especially noticeable since the various baddies are all colorful and charismatic in their own ways. I admire Evans' desire not to repeat himself and really play with the scope, but making a crime saga out of The Raid is like making a sophisticated romantic drama out of a porn movie. In the end, it's kinda pointless. Ultimately a mixed bag with some really amazing highs and some really obvious lows.

I actually would've liked to see more Rama. Too often he felt like the supporting character, in a broader story that (for the most part) I felt I'd already seen, many times before.I think there's an excellent two-hour film tucked away within this sprawling (yet entertaining) mess. That being said, there are three action scenes here that are probably the best of the year: the car chase, the three-way fight between Rama/Hammer Girl/Bat Boy, and the kitchen fight between Rama and the Assassin. Edited by Telemachos
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites


rukaio101 Blockbuster

rukaio101

Posted
Posted

I'm on the same boat as you guys in saying that this should have been 30 minutes shorter. And while I actually kinda liked the plot, it's nowhere near as tight or effective as the first one.

 

That said, it's still probably got the best action out of any film I expect to see this year. The standout fights for me were the prison yard, Rama vs Hammer Girl and Bat Guy and, obviously, the kitchen scene. But honestly, almost any action scene in this film would be a standout in your average action flick.

 

It was fun watching this with a packed audience though. Got at least 10 audible 'ooooh''s, 3 'eeeee''s and a bizarre bit of laughter when Bat Guy's bat got stuck in his head.

 

In conclusion, not as good as the first, needed to be shorter (the Machete Hobo's scenes probably could've been cut) but still totally worth watching. A-

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Deep Wang Global Phenomenon

Deep Wang

Posted
Posted (edited)

BTW, it definitely took me a few minutes to realize that Machete Hobo actually wasn't Mad Dog who miraculously survived.

 

Evans said that he cast the same actor in this one because you know who he is despite not playing the same character.  That way when he is killed, it ups the stakes for the final fight, because subconsciously you just saw Mad Dog get owned.

 

Or something along those lines.  It was like 3:00 in the morning.

Edited by rallax
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


RichWS Global Phenomenon

RichWS

Posted
Posted

BTW, it definitely took me a few minutes to realize that Machete Hobo actually wasn't Mad Dog who miraculously survived.

 

I wasn't sure of it the whole time.  :lol:

 

Sure, it's overlong and there were several times where I was honestly confused about who was who and their relation to each other (The name "Reza" is mentioned over and over and over before we actually see him), but I sorta loved the sprawling crime drama nature of it. And the action! MY GOD, THE ACTION. At the end of the kitchen fight, I realized my heart was pounding and I was gripping the armrests. 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Ozymandias Global Phenomenon

Ozymandias

Posted
Posted (edited)

It definitely dragged in some parts when it was doing the business of that sprawling plot, but I'm totally fine with overlooking that because you're never gonna see better intense action in a movie not directed by Gareth Evans.  My god, the fights in this were fucking insane... there were quite a few moments when the audience(my theater was surprisingly half full) cried out.

 

A

Edited by Ozymandias
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CoolioD1 Global Phenomenon

CoolioD1

Posted
Posted

It feels about 3 days long but I realised when I saw those two guys carving each other up with the curved knife thingies (no, i don't fucking know the fucking technical name for them and I don't give a shit) at the end I knew I couldn't give this any less than an A.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites


lilmac Summer Tentpole

lilmac

Posted
Posted

It feels about 3 days long but I realised when I saw those two guys carving each other up with the curved knife thingies (no, i don't fucking know the fucking technical name for them and I don't give a shit) at the end I knew I couldn't give this any less than an A.

The way he finally finished him off...wow. People clapped both times I saw it.
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


baumer Cinematic Universe

baumer

Posted
Posted

I was prepared to give this a B- or a C+. The first 90 minutes or so was everything the first wasn't. Then the old fuck gets killed at the bar and it got a bit better. Then Uco shoots and kills his father and all fucking he'll breaks loose. From the car chase on it had the tone and feel of the first. And that final fight with the bad ass.....WTMF!!! That was fucking awesome!8/10

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites


baumer Cinematic Universe

baumer

Posted
Posted

At a PC now.

 

The film had way too much plot.  I also had a hard time telling everyone apart at times.  The good guys and bad guys were all dressed the same and in the mud fight, again, hard to tell who I was rooting for.  The film was also way too wordy and as I mentioned earlier, this was basically everything the first wasn't.  The original had a tag line on one of their posters that said, "5 minutes of plot and 90 minutes of action"  The writers of this film forgot what made the first so loved.  Sprinkled in between some of the wordy plot was the occasional good fight but it wasn't enough to keep me from looking at my phone (theater was empty, don't worry, I didn't disturb anyone).  But when it finally decides to concentrate on its strength, it had me giddy as a schoolboy.  I laughed, clapped a couple of times and at one point was so in awe of the action that my eyes began to water.  This of course was during the final fight when the dude brings out those half moon knives.  The choreography and the direction and the physical acting in that last fight was almost too much to behold.  I was breathless watching it.  

 

I was also very happy to see UCO die.  He reminded me of Commodus from Gladiator.  In fact, his story arc and everything else about him was taken right from Gladiator.  And he Arfrin Putra plays him perfectly.  Then of course there's hammer girl.  Beautiful and a stone cold ruthless killer.  Pretty cool.

 

I liked the movie overall, I just wish the first half wasn't so plot heavy.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites






baumer Cinematic Universe

baumer

Posted
Posted

On a minor note: I'm really glad the movie treated Hammer Girl in a gender-agnostic way.

 

Absolutely.  She was never sexed up in any way and she got the shit beat out of her by Rama, just like every other man did as well.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites




Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Guidelines. Feel free to read our Privacy Policy as well.

  I accept