The Raid II: Berndal
The Raid 2 takes place just a few hours after the first Raid. Rama (protagonist of the first) knows first hand that the goons in the building were just little fish swimming in a small area of a huge pond. What's outside of that building is where the real fear is.
The Raid: Redemption is a relatively small, isolated, claustrophobic film compared to Berndal, simply showcasing a gonzo group of cops caught in a web of corruption, stretching only as far as the walls can go. Now with vengeance and justice stuck on Rama's mind, he realizes very soon it's not going to be so simple.
Take everything that made
Redemption so great, and brutal, and crank that s
hit up ten-fold. With these characters not beholden to the confines of brick walls, the story unravels to goliath heights. I don't think anyone knew Gareth Evans could actually muster anything other than some of the greatest choreography, much less an intricate, detailed intertwined story. If his quest was to turn a contained plotline of survival into a crime saga worthy of "Godfather" complexity, he certainly succeeded.
Evans created intensity in tight spaces with
Redemption.
Berndal avoids repeating that formula, moving the chaos to prison and the streets, shoving Rama into an unforgiving world of assassins and duplicity, asking the weary figure of nobility to navigate a new realm of enemies that emerge from anywhere at a time. it's a considerable widening of "The Raid" universe, pitting Rama against various criminal interests, forced to rely on his fight skills and heartfelt need to serve justice to cap a gushing well of mayhem.
Many different names and faces emerge throughout the film, all playing to a greater purpose, revealing plotlines with considerable depth. The violence, or ultraviolence, is much more extreme. I've seen NC-17 films more tamer than this. The number of times I said oh s
hit from each broken bone, or shotgun blast to faces, or hammers through mouths was more than 30 times I assure you. But with all this style, it has more than enough substance to go around, which makes it a very fulfilling film. And it should considering it's two and half hours.
All In All,
The Raid: Berndal is hands down one of the best action films ever made. It's visceral, well-written, and even thought provoking believe it or not. A Raid film? Thought-provoking? Believe it. See it. But see The Raid: Redemption first, it literally won't make sense if you don't see redemption first. But I'm sure you already knew that. 9.5/10