We all strive to seek the best offers when it comes to purchasing online, especially if it is a movie that we want to own.
Probably that is why you want to find The Raid 2 on Blu-Ray quickly and harmlessly and enjoy the spectacle.
If you are reading this then the chances are that you are already familiar with the movie that was proclaimed by many critics as arguably one of the best action movies ever made.
Maybe you have watched the film and you just want to own it for further re-watches, you want to proudly add it to your “elite action movies” collection or maybe you have watched only the first part called “Raid: Redemption” and you are curious to check out the sequel.
Or maybe you have heard the buzz surrounding the Indonesian modern action classic, starring Iko Uwais and you desperately want to own it on Blu-ray, thus acquiring not only the movie with great quality but also some bonuses included in the box (more about that in the paragraphs below).
Smile, because whatever it is, you are at the right place.
I will start by giving a brief idea what is “The Raid 2: Berandal” (2014) about, all spoiler free.
Contents
The Plot:
The martial arts crime drama follows the events of the first part “Raid: Redemption” and revolves around the Jakarta cop Rama.
Shortly after infiltrating a building full of gangsters, Rama is forced to participate in a dangerous undercover operation, meant to expose high- level corrupted politicians and police officers, terrorizing the city.
Soon Rama finds himself involved in a series of violent events, threatening not only his own life but the lives of the people he cares about.
How far is he willing to go in order to bring down the mafia and at what price?
The answers to these questions are revealed in the brutal Indonesian crime-drama, directed by the young Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans.
The Cast:
The young martial arts sensation from Indonesia Iko Uwais reprises his role as the rookie police officer Rama.
The rest of the cast consist of very skilled Indonesian and Japanese actors such as Yayan Ruhian as Prakoso – a loyal to the mafia assassin, Tio Pakusadewo as the notorious kingpin Bangun and the beautiful actress and model Julie Estelle as the deadly Hammer Girl.
By the way, this character is really awesome so pay attention to it when enjoying the movie.
The cast benefits from the presence of various highly skilled martial artists and fight choreographers who have all contributed to the creation of the exhilarating fight sequences.
Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman are one of them and believe me, they are shamelessly good.
Most of the hired actors practice the spectacular Indonesian martial arts form known as Pencak Silat.
What makes an action movie a great action movie?
I can’t remember the last time when I enjoyed a film so much while almost sweating because of the tension building up throughout the movie.
The story is simple, yet solid and before you notice it sticks under your skin and you find yourself experiencing the emotions of the main character.
Sure enough, this is also due to the realism with which the action is executed and the convincing performances of all the actors.
The mass fight scenes in the prison with Iko Uwais and in the disco club with Yayan Ruhian who shows his stunning martial arts skills kicking the butts of dozen of thugs are really, really spectacular and so intense that one might forget to breathe.
Another memorable scene is the fight in the subway involving the brother and sister assassins the Hammer Girl and The Baseball Bat Man.
That one is very gruesome and enjoyable. Both characters are very likable.
The action never stops. There are also some insane car chase sequences that will give you S.O.B. (shortness of breath).
Even in the rare moments when the action is not rolling the atmosphere is super intense and gritty and you cannot have a break from the tension.
It is there, present in every second, not allowing you to rest for a single moment.
When it comes to the ending of the movie, it is pretty difficult for me to describe how brilliant it is.
The massacre is legendary and the fight scene between Iko Uwais and Cecep Arif Rahman is considered as one of the best in the action cinema.
Now, this, you will have to experience yourself, because I am not such a good writer to describe it all in an understandable way without spoiling the cinematic pleasure.
Actually, I think that this is impossible and before everything else, it is better for you if you are kept in the dark, of course, in case you haven’t seen the movie.
I am an avid action moviegoer and to be honest, I haven’t seen an action scene so well-crafted coming from Hollywood and in truth, that applies to the entire movie.
What makes “The Raid 2” different from many other action movies?
Speaking of Hollywood, let’s compare “The Raid 2: Berandal” (berandal means ‘thug’) with some of the most celebrated American action movies.
The first actioners that come to my mind are “Rambo”, “Die Hard” and “John Wick” so let’s stick to these.
They are all iconic and I admit that I like them all and I am sure that you do too.
But they all lack one thing that “The Raid 2” can be proud of – the sense of pure realism that it delivers and that is what makes it so unforgettable.
Probably the one movie similar to the Indonesian masterpiece in terms of on-screen authenticity and fight choreography is another DTV hit – “The Undisputed” franchise but it is still far from “The Raid”.
What are The Most Important Features of the Blu-Ray?
Ah, we finally got to the point.
The luxury Blu-Ray box, which you can find on AMAZON for only a few dollars, comes with some exclusive perks.
I am speaking about the following special features:
- a very interesting Director Commentary
- some words about the next chapter already in development
- Q&A session with the director Gareth Evans and actors Iko Uwais and Joe Trapanese.
What is really cool is that the box includes some awesome deleted scenes, information about the shooting location and a short documentary about how the fight choreography has been created.
The release is with English and Spanish subtitles and it contains also versions dubbed in English and Spanish.
The price as of this writing is $12.96 which, to tell you the truth is totally worthwhile for such an astonishing movie on a Blu-Ray including the exclusive features.
The Raid 2 on Blu-Ray, is it Worth the Money?
Honestly, “The Raid 2: Berandal” is one of my best recommendations in terms of price and quality.
Summary
The critics and the fans have been clear: “The Raid 2: Berandal” is a groundbreaking achievement in the action cinema.
The high-quality Blu-Ray edition on Amazon coming with some special features at a reasonable price is the perfect gift for every moviegoer and certainly, deserves a place in your collection.
It is a critically acclaimed masterpiece and that is not only my opinion.
The most authoritative review websites have given it excellent reviews.
It has a score of 8 out of 10 on IMDB based on almost 90 000 viewers and a mind-blowing rating of 79 percent from 160 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Blu-Ray box itself, containing one disc is fantastic and totally price worthy.
The only drawback (if you can call it a drawback) is the fact that it is a foreign movie and the actors speak in Indonesian.
I mention that because a lot of people find this confusing and think that makes it difficult to assimilate the film.
Believe me, it is not the case and one can easily get used to that.
Plus, there are English subtitles included and a dubbed version.
Enough said from me.
Now, go get this gem and enjoy it!
I hope that you liked this review. Feel free to leave me a comment below and tell me what you think about the movie. I’d love to hear from you.
Also, you might want to check out my other action reviews.