[Review] The Raid 2

"If we're gonna clean up this city, we have to aim higher and we have to get all of them." That pretty much sums up The Raid 2, the sequel to first film which saw a police force infiltrate a mob-controlled building. This time around, the duration is much longer, and instead of just one building, it's the entire city. But unfortunately, this excess is exactly what hurts The Raid 2, making it feel bloated and unfocused compared to the non-stop adrenaline rush of its predecessor. This isn't to say The Raid 2 should be a copy of the first, but the heights it strives for aren't reached in the most economical or exhilarating manner.

Our main character Rama (Iko Uwais) returns, and he's as scrappy as ever. Rama gets involved with a plan to go undercover as a mob member in order to gain their trust and then take them down from the top. He works his way through a number of missions, most entertainingly, a jail yard fight in the mud. But this first half is bogged down with way too many prolonged conversations of exposition and an ensemble of character introductions that are forgettable. Things turn up in the second half, but as a whole, it's exhausting.

The Raid 2 still brings the pulpy violence, stunning fight choreography, and it always looks superb visually, but I can't help but feel like someone should've sliced off an hour of this film. Preferably with a machete.

5/10