The Raid 2

johnny_ultimate · 28-03-2014 6:01pm

To be fair to that negative review - which is undoubtedly a bit smarmy at times, and Ebert himself was probably the most vocal critic of the first - it focuses on negatives that seem prevalent in other, otherwise positive responses to the film. Outside the excited first responses from festivals (alas, first screenings are rarely a genuine barometer of a film), the critical consensus has certainly been generally favourable but also a tad muted and reserved. I haven't heard anyone criticise the action, which let's be honest is why we're all going to this film. But if it's surrounded by an hour of awkward storytelling as many seem to be suggesting, then that's hardly a negligible criticism given how lean and to-the-point The Raid was.

Obviously we can only wait and see for ourselves!

Fysh wrote:

Seems to me he was never going to like the film and thus should probably not have agreed to try and review it.

As valid an opinion as someone who was almost definitely going to like the film

frag420 · 28-03-2014 10:05pm

Monday can't come quick enough!!

Fysh · 28-03-2014 11:24pm

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

To be fair to that negative review - which is undoubtedly a bit smarmy at times, and Ebert himself was probably the most vocal critic of the first - it focuses on negatives that seem prevalent in other, otherwise positive responses to the film. Outside the excited first responses from festivals (alas, first screenings are rarely a genuine barometer of a film), the critical consensus has certainly been generally favourable but also a tad muted and reserved. I haven't heard anyone criticise the action, which let's be honest is why we're all going to this film. But if it's surrounded by an hour of awkward storytelling as many seem to be suggesting, then that's hardly a negligible criticism given how lean and to-the-point The Raid was.

Obviously we can only wait and see for ourselves!

As valid an opinion as someone who was almost definitely going to like the film

The thing is, if you review a film you don't like without giving a context for why don't like it, the review isn't really of much use in terms of either generating discussion or providing insight into the film. And, well, I posit that someone who is apparently fairly uninterested in this kind of film is not well placed to evaluate it on its merits, at least not until they prove otherwise. There weren't any comparisons made for contrast or suggestions of other films which attempt similar ideas with greater success, so I can't help feel this review was written by someone who's sniffy about genre films in general and thus is unlikely to offer any useful insight to those of us a bit more interested in sorting the wheat from the chaff.

On a separate note, my OH noted that the posters in London are advertising the film as "the Dark Knight of action films", which provoked the question "So what was the Dark Knight?"

LuckyLloyd · 31-03-2014 9:28pm

Had been really looking forward to this and had a ticket to the unlimited preview. Unfortunately they had a dodgy print. Saw ~5 mins with dodgy picture and no subtitles then ~10 mins with no subtitles before giving up. Will catch it at the weekend.

maximoose · 31-03-2014 9:36pm

Yep. That was a disaster. I stayed about half an hour and they still hadn't fixed it. Raging. Everyone was hyped for it and all.

Won a goody bag, but I wanted to see some damn ass kicking.

e_e · 31-03-2014 9:37pm

Wow, glad I didn't try and see if anyone had a spare ticket here then.

frag420 · 31-03-2014 10:59pm

Just seen it!! Lacks the tenseness of the first movie but more than makes up for it with the fight scenes!! The Raid movies are the only two movies I have seen where by there were several rounds of applause after a fight scene!

S.M.B. · 01-04-2014 12:54am

That review on RogerEbert.com doesn't come across as being overly negative to me and it closely echoes my thoughts on the movie even though I enjoyed the first one.

bigslick · 01-04-2014 9:12am

Was at the Unlimited screening as well. Was a bit of a farce, but I just stepped outside while they were fixing it up. On a side, it seems that alot of Cineworld locations had issues with their print.

Glad i waited, as was an amazing film with some great action and amazing set pieces. Might go again when its released.

BadCompany · 03-04-2014 10:39am

I honestly don't think that I've never been more excited about a movie release as this one. The first one for me is probably in my top 5 action movies ever, certainly top 10. So many great set-pieces and while the plot was thin, it certainly served its purpose. I saw it twice in the cinema (stumbled across it by chance the first time!) and must have watched the DVD 5 or 6 times since, everyone I've showed it to has loved it. Roll on next Friday!

ancapailldorcha · 03-04-2014 9:18pm

I saw this at an Unlimited screening on Monday.

The biggest difference to the original would be the much greater emphasis on the plot which revolves around Rama's attempt to infiltrate a criminal empire. I went in expecting something similar to the original film so the added emphasis on a story felt very odd to me.

The action sequences are very imaginative and are imbued with a flair that I don't see too often nowadays. It's nice to see characters act creatively and the film pulls no punches when it comes to the sheer brutality of the scenes, spiced up with, thankfully small offerings of comic relief. Also present is the best car chase I've seen since the Matrix Reloaded.

I've been comparing it to Die Hard 2. It discards the claustrophobic environment of the first film in favor of telling a grand tale of betrayal and conspiracies. I was originally under the impression that the whole plot would unfurl in a prison, which is merely a chapter of the whole story. Like Die Hard 2, it's a good film worthy of being rewatched. I think something got lost in making it, sadly.

BadCompany · 05-04-2014 10:33am

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Also present is the best car chase I've seen since the Matrix Reloaded.

This has me very excited! While the Matrix Reloaded had its problems (I think the whole drawn-out piece at the end with "the architect" is especially painful), that car chase was unbelievable!

Funnily enough, I was only saying to a friend recently that I reckon The Raid is probably my favourite action movie since The Matrix (first one)

Goldstein · 05-04-2014 11:17pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Also present is the best car chase I've seen since the Matrix Reloaded.

It's been 11 years and noone's even attempted one with a straight face since. It's easy to be cynical with hindsight but those 16 minutes from Reloaded were so defyingly ambitous that The Wachowskis single-handedly killed pretty much all subsequent serious attempts at any kind of a car chase scene with the possible exception of Nolan's Batmans in places.

This one remark tells me everything I need to know about the mindset of Berandal. It reaches to places all other movies haven't and tries to go beyond what we've seen before. That's always enough for me. (Not that there was a chance in hell I wasn't going to see it anyway

)

S.M.B. · 06-04-2014 2:41pm

The entire movie is very Nolan-esque in my opinion which has its merits (the ambitious car chase scene, the final 45 minutes as a whole) and its drawbacks (a plot that is 'both simplicity itself and impossible to follow' as that ebert reviewer puts it, an over seriousness that was absent from the first movie).

weiland79 · 09-04-2014 3:42pm

Booked my ticket for the nine o'clock show in Dundrum on friday night. At time of booking (Last night) there were just two other seats taken in the cinema, so don't expect this to have a very long run.

BadCompany · 09-04-2014 3:58pm

weiland79 wrote: »

Booked my ticket for the nine o'clock show in Dundrum on friday night. At time of booking (Last night) there were just two other seats taken in the cinema, so don't expect this to have a very long run.

Likewise, about an hour ago I booked tickets for Friday in Mahon cinema in Cork and there were no other seats booked yet (although it is the 10.30 show). I just wanted to be sure of getting nice seats, as it's showing in one of the smaller screens.

Roll on Friday! If it's anything close to the standard of the first (and all early reviews suggest that it is), I can see myself going to see it twice, if not three times!

sonic85 · 10-04-2014 5:36pm

Can anybody tell me if this is showing anywhere in the south east? The Omniplex website has it down as coming soon but its not on the listings.

Its out on friday isnt it?

weiland79 · 10-04-2014 7:06pm

yes out tomorrow

Mr E · 10-04-2014 7:10pm

Seems to be a pretty limited release. In Limerick, only the Omniplex has it (it's not in the Odeon or Showtime).

sonic85 · 10-04-2014 7:21pm

Balls anyway. I managed to see the first one in waterford (only one other person in the screening) and had my fingers crossed id get to see this on a big screen. Doesnt seem to be showing outside the major towns and cities.

Gutted

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 10-04-2014 9:52pm

TIL carlow isn't a major town or city

e_e · 10-04-2014 10:20pm

I wouldn't worry yet, films like this tend to test the waters in Dublin and if they work on audiences they move to the rest of the country. If your local cinema isn't showing it you should request it just in case too.

weiland79 · 11-04-2014 9:27am

Woo Hoo Raid 2 day!

e_e · 11-04-2014 7:26pm

Just saw it in the Lighthouse there. Found it to be marvellous and in spite of a few indulgences/absurdities superior to the original in just about every way. Visually Evans has really stepped up his game and I love the juxtaposition between being a sprawling crime epic and an OTT action movie. I just relished every second of this.

Warper · 11-04-2014 10:18pm

Saw this today. Loved it, one of the most enjoyable films i have seen in ages. I must admit i was apprehensive enough about this going in as i didn't particularly like part one, found it basically kung fu master on film, but this is brilliant entertainment. There are some laugh out moments in it too which help capture the fun of this whole mad, ultra-violent and cool flick. Top marks.

LuckyLloyd · 11-04-2014 11:50pm

Utterly ridiculous but very entertaining nonetheless. You have the choice of finding the violence hilarious or hideous. I took the former option throughout. This is easily the bloodiest film I've ever seen with plenty of scenes for fethisists alone. Two moments in particular are outright distasteful.

The scenes in between the fighting are generally irritating: dreadful acting and a farcical 'plot'. But the brilliantly shot gymnastics and stunts generally cover.

Be warned, and don't be the dickhead dragging your girlfriend / mate to this if it wouldn't generally be their sort of thing. This is an out there two and a half hours of gore.

e_e · 11-04-2014 11:57pm

It is indeed violent but I personally don't think it's ever distasteful or laughing at the bloodshed. In fact I think the appeal of this and the original is that they're more masochistic than sadistic, all the "oofs!" are cathartic to watch and the humor is more derived from the ingenuity of the editing/choreography than just laughing at bloodshed.

These 2 films have left me on a high that no other action film has achieved for that reason.

LuckyLloyd · 12-04-2014 12:19am

e_e wrote: »

It is indeed violent but I personally don't think it's ever distasteful or laughing at the bloodshed. In fact I think the appeal of this and the original is that they're more masochistic than sadistic, all the "oofs!" are cathartic to watch and the humor is more derived from the ingenuity of the editing/choreography than just laughing at bloodshed.

These 2 films have left me on a high that no other action film has achieved for that reason.

You are entitled to your assessment but I strongly disagree on the basis of

the cut to the face of the man burned on the restaurant hot plate and the drawn out nature of the shotgun finishing of Bejo

. I also believe it's naive to think that people are not laughing largely due to the violence - it's human nature to do so.

This is undoubtedly a great spectacle of shock cinema, but it wallows in its brutality and will be considered distasteful by many on that basis. There were a number of walkouts tonight and I totally understand why that is the case.

weiland79 · 12-04-2014 12:26am

Just back. For me it took way to long to get into gear, and while the scope is admirable it was just to difficult for me to ignore the atrocious acting and paper thin plot. I know it's not meant to be about the story but when so much of the running time is taken up with it, it's hard to ignore.
The fighting of course is visceral and packs no less of a punch as the first movie. The final act being particularly excellent.
There are a few characters I'd like to talk about specifically but as I'm on a phone I cannot spoiler so I'll come back to them tomorrow.

I've watched the first movie several times and will probably watch it several times more, and while I will pick this up on blue ray when it comes out I will be skipping forward to the excellent fight scenes. Which is disappointing.

e_e · 12-04-2014 12:33am

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I also believe it's naive to think that people are not laughing largely due to the violence - it's human nature to do so.

I think the violence is only a part of the reason though. When I saw the original at JDIFF much of the response was in the vein (no pun intended) of "oooh! aaaahhhhh!" and then laughing at our own reactions. I think it's the portrayal of the violence which is a small but important extinction. I guess what I'm saying is that the bloodshed isn't funny in and of itself, there's always other factors at play.

Those 2 examples you mentioned weren't played for laughs, crucially. More for the shock and awe, the

hotplate scene

seemed to show Rama's descent too in very brutal terms

The Raid 2

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