Like Evans' previous films Merantau and The Raid, the fight scenes showcase Indonesian fighting style of pencak silat. The film was released in the United States and Canada by Sony Pictures Classics on 28 March 2014, where it received positive reviews from critics.
Plot
Mob boss Andi is executed by Bejo, a rival criminal lord, on the orders of corrupt police commissioner, Reza. Police officer Rama brings his injured colleagues Bowo and corrupt officer Wahyu to Bunawar, their lieutenant: Bunawar informs Rama that he is heading a secret unit investigating police corruption. He sends Bowo away and kills Wahyu to prevent their investigation from being exposed. Bunawar then recruits Rama to help expose the extent of Reza's operation by placing him undercover.
Assuming the alias Yuda, Bunawar tasks Rama to infiltrate the Bangun family, the largest crime syndicate in Jakarta which act as peacekeepers to prevent a feud between Bejo and the Goto yakuza. Rama deliberately places himself in the same prison as Bangun's hot-tempered son, Uco, and gains his favor by saving his life during a violent prison riot. After being released from prison, Uco introduces him to Bangun and begins working for him. Rama assists Uco in a violent extortion of Topan, a local porn producer. Uco later drunkenly expresses frustration at feeling sidelined within his father's organization and violently harasses a prostitute. Rama uses this opportunity to secretly plant a bug in Uco's wallet.
Uco secretly meets with Bejo and Uco agrees to secretly finance Bejo in a war with Goto. In gratitude, Bejo rounds up members of the prison riot and allows Uco to kill them. Prakoso, Bangun's eldest enforcer, is recruited to protect the family from Bejo as Uco attempts to convince him to join the war. After dismissing Uco, Bejo's hitmen lead an assault against Prakoso and is eventually killed by the Assassin, Bejo's top enforcer. Uco attempts to convince Bangun that Prakoso's death was caused by Goto but he refuses to retaliate. In a meeting between Bangun and Goto, Uco lashes out in anger, embarrassing Bangun into conceding territory. Bangun later beats Uco for disrupting the peace between the two organizations.
Meanwhile, Rama escapes attack by Reza's corrupt cops and is urgently called to Bangun's office by his advisor, Eka. Bejo arrives with the Assassin and his henchmen and Uco kills his father and wounds Eka. Rama intervenes, giving Eka the chance to escape, but is subdued and driven away to be executed. Eka becomes critically injured as he rescues Rama. He then reveals that he always knew Rama was working undercover and that he is also a police officer. Goto's henchman, Ryuichi, informs Goto of Uco's betrayal and that Reza is meeting Bejo and Uco. Enraged, Goto declares war on Bejo, Uco, and Reza.
Bunawar calls Rama and tells him Eka chose to remain with Bangun. He also informs him that his direct superior was killed and that a meeting will be held between Reza, Bejo, and Uco at Bejo's restaurant. Uco then discovers Rama's bug in his wallet and that Bejo carries the same tattoo as the prison rioters, realizing that he had been set up. Rama kills Bejo's henchmen, including Hammer Girl, Baseball Bat Man and the Assassin, as he discovers the meeting.
Bejo pulls out a shotgun and shoots Rama. He attempts to throw a gun for Reza but it is intercepted by Uco, who kills Reza and Bejo, whom he believes planted the bug. Uco begins firing at Rama but he fatally stabs Uco. As Bunawar makes his way to the restaurant, Rama encounters Goto's men, led by Goto's son Keichi, who were sent to kill Uco, Bejo, and Reza. Keichi smirks as he silently offers a deal to Rama, who definitively declines.
Cast
Iko Uwais as Rama/Yuda, one of the three surviving police officers of the first film's eponymous raid, and a special forces member turned undercover agent. His alias "Yuda" is a reference to Uwais' character in his debut film Merantau.
Julie Estelle as Alicia/"Hammer Girl", a merciless assassin who uses claw hammers as her signature weapon. She is deaf, and later revealed to be missing an eye, the reason she wears sunglasses at all times.
Kenichi Endō as Hideaki Goto (Japanese: 後藤英明, Hepburn: Gotō Hideaki), founder and head (oyabun/kumicho) of the Goto family, a powerful yakuza family from Japan and one of the two mob bosses in control of Jakarta's underworld.
Roy Marten as Reza, a corrupt high-ranking police official affiliated with the Gotos but whom Bejo wants to buy out in his plans for expansion.
Epy Kusnandar [id] as Topan, operator of an illegal "porn den" in Bangun's territory, who receives a visit when word gets out he's expanded into the drug business.
Zack Lee as Benny, an associate of Uco in prison who betrays his trust.
Donny Alamsyah as Andi, Rama's gangster brother who is executed by Bejo.
Tegar Satrya [id] as Bowo, Rama's colleague and one of three surviving officers of the first film's eponymous raid.
Alain O. as Wahyu, the corrupt lieutenant and one of three surviving officers of the first film's eponymous raid.
Other cast members include Henky Solaiman and Fikha Effendi, who reprise their roles as Rama's father and wife, Isa, respectively. Deddy Sutomo and Pong Hardjatmo make cameos as the mediator and police commissioner, respectively.
Production
Development
Writer-director Gareth Evans decided to make the sequel after The Raid hit at the box office.[13] He saw it as an opportunity to receive funding for a script he wrote in 2009, Berandal, which he had trouble funding for two years.[13][14]Berandal was originally conceived as a standalone action drama film which incorporates bigger action scenes and according to Evans tells the story of "a young guy who goes into prison, befriends the son of a mob boss, comes out, joins him as an enforcer and then has to survive a gang war".[13][14] After The Raid, Evans began significantly rewriting the Berandal script to connect its storyline with that of the first film; the process included tweaking the protagonist's character motivation and adding a police procedural subplot.[14]
Evans also revealed on Twitter that Yayan Ruhian, who played Mad Dog in The Raid, will return for the sequel as a new character called Prakoso,[17] the machete-wielding chief assassin of Bangun. He claimed that he would not do a martial arts film without Ruhian being involved.[18] Ruhian, who is a choreographer of the film, also trained Estelle in pencak silat.[19]
In January 2013, PT Merantau Films and XYZ Films announced the start of production.[20][21][22] The filming process took about seven months and ended in July 2013.[23]
The film's lead cinematographer Matt Flannery tweeted that at least three RED cameras were used in a test shoot of a chase scene.[24][25] Gareth Evans mentioned that they were using RED Scarlet for 95% of the shoot, Epic for slow mo, and Go Pro 3 for quick cuts during the car chase.[26]
Marketing
A teaser trailer was released at Twitch Film on 6 November 2013.[27]The Hollywood Reporter stated that the trailer "unleashes more action than most Hollywood blockbusters."[28] A longer Indonesian trailer was released on 31 December 2013.[29] The American trailer was released on 21 January 2014.[30][31][32][33] On 26 March 2014, a deleted scene (given the title "Gang War") was released to promote the film.[34]
International release
The film was marketed internationally through Celluloid Nightmares, a partnership between US-based XYZ Films and France's Celluloid Dreams.[35][36]
Iko Uwais at the premiere of The Raid 2 in New York City, 17 March 2014
The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on 21 January 2014.[38] It also screened at South by Southwest on 10 March 2014[39] and ARTE Indonesia Arts Festival on 14 March 2014.[40] Following a wide release on 11 April 2014, due to low returns the majority of theaters closed the film one week later. This was similar to what occurred during the theatrical run of the first film.[41]
Censorship
The Raid 2 was banned in neighboring Malaysia.[42] The film was scheduled to hit Malaysian screens on 28 March, but had not been shown anywhere in the country due to its excessive violence.[43] Indonesian politician, and former Army Chief of Staff, Pramono Edhie Wibowo criticized the decision and demanded an explanation. He further asked the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to "actively perform its mediation function with the Malaysian government."[44]
The US release was given an R rating by the MPAA for "strong bloody violence throughout, sexuality and language",[45] cutting a few frames of graphic violence. Director Evans stated the cuts are very minimal and similar to his original cut.[46][47] The film received an R-15 rating in Japan with 4 minutes cut, and an R-18 uncut version which was screened in the Tokyo metropolitan area.[48]
Reception
Box office
In Indonesia, the film sold 1,434,272 tickets at the box office in 2014.[49]
Overseas, the film grossed $2,627,209 in the United States and Canada.[50] In Japan, it grossed ¥22 million ($207,655) at the box office.[51] In other overseas territories outside Indonesia, the film grossed $3,939,707,[52] for an overseas total of $6,774,571 outside of Indonesia.
Home media
In the United States, the film grossed $4.14 million from physical DVD and Blu-ray sales, as of April 2022[update].[53] In the United Kingdom, The Raid 2 was 2015's best-selling foreign-language film on home video.[54]
Critical response
As of January 2022[update], the film has an approval rating of 82% on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 175 reviews, with an average rating of 7.50/10. The site's consensus states: "Although its high-energy plot and over-the-top violence may play better with genre aficionados, The Raid 2 definitely delivers more of everything audiences loved about its predecessor."[55] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 71 out of 100 based on reviews from 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[56]
During its world premiere at Sundance, The Raid 2 received an overwhelming reaction. Mark Olsen of the Los Angeles Times reported that "The screening caused an explosion of excitement and enthusiasm for the film on social media."[57]
In a 3-out-of-5 mixed review, Joey Magidson of the website Awards Circuit wrote that he "appreciate(s) the directing skills on display in The Raid 2, but at a certain point, all of the fighting and killing nearly got to be too much for me. I'm recommending the film, but not in the same way as the last one."[58] He added that while it is "creative enough to be worth a recommendation, it lacks the originality of the first flick" and concluded that "The Raid 2 will delight genre fans, but might not impress to[o] many others."[58]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote that it "may not have the first Raid's absolute novelty, and the plot is a bit superfluous. But the sheer mayhem-stamina of this followup is really staggering."[59] Henry Barnes of The Guardian gave it 3 out of 5 stars, writing "Out of the tower block and into Jakarta's crime underworld, Gareth Evans's gory sequel is even more violent – you'll thrill despite yourself."[60]
Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly said, "The Raid 2 will make you feel like Christmas came nine months early. Some action sequels don't know when to say when. But here's one where too much is just the right amount."[61]
Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com praised the film for its "involving plot"; calling the cast, especially Uwais, "charming" and dialogue "winningly precise" while noting that the sequel is "a great step up after the already-impressive The Raid."[62] Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert.com gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, and wrote "The action stuff in The Raid 2, while likely to alienate the squeamish and summon dark thoughts of cinematic nihilism amongst overthinking highbrows, really IS like nothing else out there."[63]
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, remarking, "Evans gives the audience a knowing wink by having Rama endure repeated batterings that would leave mere mortals in traction, not to mention some nasty blade wounds. Yet he keeps coming back, finding the stamina to snap more limbs and crush more skulls. Taking place inside moving vehicles, a subway car, a noodle bar, warehouses, a porn factory, tight corridors and in the most electrifying mano-a-mano clash, a gleaming nightclub kitchen and wine cellar, the fights are dynamite."[64]
Rolling Stone chief critic Peter Travers wrote, "The Raid 2 lets its warriors rip for two and a half thrilling hours. With the precision of dance and the punch of a K.O. champion, Evans keeps the action coming like nobody's business."[65]
Amber Wilkinson of The Daily Telegraph commented, "Hyper-violent it may be but there is beauty in its brutality," and wrote, "To say a martial arts movie brings something fresh in terms of choreography may sound like fighting talk, but Gareth Evans's sequel to his 2011 film is endlessly inventive."[66]
Matt Risley of Total Film gave the film 5 stars and wrote: "Sumptuously shot, perfectly paced and flat-out exhilarating, The Raid 2 cements Evans as the best action director working today and may not be the best action, gangster, or even martial-arts movie ever made. But as a combination of all three, it's unparalleled in recent memory and offers a tantalising glimpse into a post-Bayhem action-movie world. Brutal, beautiful and brilliant" and also wrote, "The sheer imagination on show, both in the cinematography and choreography, guarantees each brawl is instantly iconic. Immaculately edited, each traumatic, tensely tactile fight would blur into chaos if not for Evans's pinpoint pacing something that refreshes all the more in the face of modern blockbusting's tendency to start big and just keep getting bigger, until burnout."[67]
Year-end lists
The film appeared on several critics' year-end lists.
#2 – Peter Freeman of DCOutlook.com's "Top 10 Movies of 2014"[68]
The film received 10 nominations at the local 2014 Maya Awards, organized by online film community Piala Maya. On 20 December 2014, it won four of its ten nominations: Best Cinematography for Matt Flanery and Dimas Subono, Best Editing for Evans and Andi Novianto, Best Special Effects, and Best Supporting Actor for Arifin Putra. It was also nominated for Best Film, Best Original Score, Most Memorable Featured Appearance for Julie Estelle as 'The Hammer Girl' (all three lost to Cahaya dari Timur); Best Hair & Make-Up and Best Sound Mixing (both lost to Killers), as well as another nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category for Oka Antara (who lost to co-star Arifin Putra).[75]
On 6 January 2014, media outlets quoted director Gareth Evans stating that The Raid 3 would take place two hours before the end of The Raid 2.[76][77] On 19 April, during an interview with Metro, director Evans said that he is planning to take a break from martial arts movies for two or three years before filming it.[78][79] On 21 January 2015, Evans responded on Twitter, "The Raid 3 isn't going to be happening anytime soon. Ideas in my head. Nothing written. No set date. 2018/19 possibly."[80]
In a November 2016 interview with Impact, Evans stated the third film was no longer going forward with the franchise likely having ended, stating, "Moving back to UK felt like a closing chapter on that franchise—we ended the story pretty neatly (I feel) in Part 2. I'm aware there's an interest for it [...] So never say never, but it's unlikely to happen anytime soon."[81]
Notes
^In the Yakuza underworld, those who hold the position of lieutenant (such as Ryūichi) are better known by the name Wakagashira (Japanese: 若頭, Hepburn: Wakagashira).
