The Raid Directed by: Gareth Evans Starring: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Yayan Ruhiyan Rating: R Release Date: January 19, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 9/10
Thoughts by TSR: I've always been a fan of action movies. There's something cathartic about watching people have the sh*t beaten out of each other from the comfort of your own home... or maybe that's just the sociopath in me. Point being, it's easy enough to get me interested in an action movie, but The Raid takes it to a whole other level.
The wall-to-wall music, for one thing, establishes an uneasy rhythm with what's happening onscreen. It's such a minor touch, but honestly, the music is what elevates it from mindless action to an almost poetic ultra-violence. Then again, it'd be almost criminally negligent if I ignored my interest in the more "unsavory" elements of the film, namely the hyper-violent tones of the movie. The Raid seems to be channeling part Reservoir Dogs and part Hard Boiled. Just to be clear, this is in no way a bad thing, but it's the fluidity between highly choreographed fight sequences and straight gun play that brings those two films behind. Still, after watching almost two solid minutes of unadulterated violence with little to no plot development, I'm sure The Raid will embrace its action forefathers. Regardless of whether it does or doesn't, The Raid successfully sold me on whatever it has to offer with this trailer.