Part 1 Chapter C (2012)

Mickey vs Amy: 4/5




Arguably the two best female screen fighters in the game tearing it up. It's gritty, it's bloody and goddamn is it good. Vlad does it again.

The Raid 2: Berandal (2014)

Prison Bathroom Fight: 4/5

Prison Yard Fight: 3.75/5

Prakoso vs Thugs: 2.75/5

Prakoso vs Thugs in Nightclub: 3.75/5

Hammer Girl Train Fight: 3.75/5

Baseball Bat Man Fight: 4/5

Rama vs Cops: 2.25/5

Rama vs The Assassin: 3.25/5

Car Fight: 3.75/5

Rama vs Thugs in Warehouse: 4/5 

Rama vs Hammer Girl & Baseball Bat Man: 4.5/5

Rama vs The Assassin: 4.5/5


If you liked the first Raid, you'e gonna love this too.

As far as comparing the 2, I will say the first Raid was much more straight forward. And also what I liked about the first Raid was that many of the nameless thugs wouldn't just be cannon fodder. They would fight back and be tough opponents. That isn't quite the case here. But instead, what we get is a wider array of credible, interesting villains. Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Guy are terrific. And the main assassin is highly skilled at Silat. A great match for Iko Uwais' character, Rama.

Also, the fights take place in many different locations, as opposed to the first film. There's also a lot more weapon work in this film. More variety, in every aspect. That's what we get with a larger budget.

I loved this. It's brutally violent. The choreography is on point. There's a lot more use of space in this. The opening bathroom fight shows Rama using the small location to his advantage. There's a very impressive fight inside a car during a chase sequence. They somehow make a fight scene happening inside of a car between 3 guys in a back seat dynamic. Impressive stuff.

Iko has even improved as a screen fighter, I would say. And he was good before. But now, he carries himself like a true star. He has the screen presence of Tony Jaa. And he's fast. His hand speed reminds me of a young Donnie Yen at times.

The villains are built up well to look like real threats to Rama. And the earlier brawls lead up to the great fights towards the end. Some brutal, creative exchanges throughout the film.

The sequel lives up to the considerable hype. Highly recommended.

Walter Garcia's "Hermanos" (2012)

Fight Scene: 3.75/5

Love the accompanying music to the fight. Gives it a distinct Latino vibe. Very good choreography. A believable 2 vs 1 exchange. And an interesting location as well. I dig this short film.

Walter Garcia's "De Oppresso Libre" (2013)

Group Fight: 3.75/5

Solid finale group fight here. Gritty and realistic. And emotionally charged.

Walter Garcia's "Just Another Day" (2014)

Bar Fight: 2.75/5

Finale: 3.5/5


Bar fight was a solid, brutal exchange. The finale takes it to the next level. Great throws in there and a solid knife exchange. Solid work from Walter Garcia.

The Raid: Redemption (2012)

Rama vs Group, Weapons Fight: 4.25/5

Rama vs 4 Guys w/ Machetes: 4/5

Sergeant vs Mad Dog: 4/5

Meth Lab Fight Scene: 3.75/5

Rama & Andi vs Mad Dog: 4.75/5

The breakout Indonesian action/martial arts film is as good as they say. Iko Uwais is not as athletically gifted as Tony Jaa but he carries himself very well throughout this film. And Mad Dog is an absolute machine. Consistently good fighting all around. One of my favorite aspects of this movie is that the thugs are not just cannon fodder. Everyone can hold their own, which adds a sense of realistic danger for the heroes. An example of this is the meth lab scene (the weaker fight scene in the movie), which is saved by a mini boss battle at the end of it, with Iko trading blows with a thug on some tables. And the final showdown with Mad Dog is superb. This will go down as one of the stronger martial arts films of the decade. Highly recommended.