Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Amazing fights, brutal violence in undercover cop tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Raid 2
What's the Story?
Just moments after the end of The Raid: Redemption, rookie cop Rama (Iko Uwais) is asked to go undercover in prison and befriend Uco (Arifin Putra), the son of the boss of the biggest crime family in Indonesia. So Rama saves Uco from a potential assassination, and, upon their release, he finds himself working for the feared, respected gangster Bangun (Tio Pakusadewo). Unfortunately, the volatile Uco wants to move up in the ranks and grows impatient with his father's caution. So he teams up with a rival family and plans a hostile takeover, which involves the murder of a trusted associate. Of course, everything goes haywire, and Rama finds himself in the battle of his life, fighting deadly killers from all over the city.
Is It Any Good?
So many scenes in THE RAID 2 are worthy of applause and gratitude -- not just for being watchable, but for being incredibly inventive and potent (as well as incredibly violent, of course). Miraculously, Welsh-born director Gareth Evans seems to be the first filmmaker in ages who knows how to choreograph and shoot a martial arts fight scene, emphasizing movement, space, and clarity rather than turning in a cluttered jumble of shaky, quickly cut mush.
Star Uwais has skill and charisma, though it's probably too soon to proclaim him the next Bruce Lee. A few of the other actors also stand out, notably the "Hammer Girl" and "Baseball Bat Man" characters, who seem imported from some lost Quentin Tarantino film. But for the most part, The Raid 2 is a very standard undercover cop story; it's incredibly convoluted, though every twist and turn is something you've seen before. In many ways, this sequel is an improvement over The Raid: Redemption, except for that film's welcome simplicity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Raid 2's violence. Is it possible to showcase martial arts skill without a great deal of blood and gore? How would that have made this movie different? How does the impact of the violence in a movie like this one compare to what you might see in a horror movie?
Could this movie have been as interesting without the references to sex, smoking, and alcohol? How necessary were those things to the plot?
What is the appeal of the "undercover cop" subgenre? What's at stake for the character?
Is The Raid 2 a good demonstration of martial arts? Is it used for self-defense or for unleashing violence?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 28, 2014
- On DVD or streaming : July 8, 2014
- Cast : Iko Uwais , Arifin Putra , Tio Pakusadewo
- Director : Gareth Evans
- Inclusion Information : Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Classics
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 150 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sequences of strong bloody violence throughout, sexuality and language
- Last updated : September 13, 2022
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