In 2011 Gareth Evans wrote and directed The Raid: Redemption, an Indonesian action film showcasing the most talented martial artists the country has to offer. It is brimming with scene after scene of gruesome fights impressive not only for their violence, but for the extreme talent on display as the actors go through complex choreography. The sequel upped the ante in every way with a significantly extended run time, more action, and more varied locations. Five years have passed since The Raid 2, and the combat has still yet to be surpassed. To celebrate these impressive feats of human ability, the following list will rank the ten best action sequences from the two films.
Machete Fight Scene (The Raid)
No one ever wants to face off against someone who’s wielding a machete. Rama, played by Iko Uwais, had to take on four machete wielding bad guys at once. He suffers a few cuts, but fares better than anybody else would have.
Any average Joe would be turned into cat food within minutes at the mercy of those blades. Some standout moments from the bout include impaling a man’s throat with a piece of wood and Rama leaping out a window, falling several stories. He doesn’t leave unscathed, but at least he lived.
Drug Lab (The Raid)
The drug lab fight is unique for featuring several protagonists facing down several goons. The lieutenant who leads the squad to their doom is in on it too, though he clearly isn’t as spry as his comrades.
The editing does a great job of balancing attention between the cops as they each go head to head with several different people. The climax to the fight involves Rama fighting a henchman on a long table, finally incapacitating him with a sweep that sees him landing on the edge of the table on his back.
Mad Dog Vs. Jaka (The Raid)
It’s a short bout, but important to the story. For one, it displays Mad Dog’s sadistic tendencies in a fight. The villain gets sublime pleasure from taking a life, and his bliss is made all the more enjoyable when he does it with his bare hands. Secondly, it sees the death of Jaka, played by Joe Taslim. Thankfully, it wouldn’t be the last people see of Joe. For more of his marshal arts prowess, see The Night Comes For Us on Netflix and catch him in the upcoming Mortal Kombat film.
Hammer Girl On The Train (The Raid 2)
The sheer creativity of the character is enough to get this fight on the list. The film offers little backstory, but the idea of a woman with sunglasses wielding hammers is just the thing fans of this action movie crave. She dons a white dress when she takes on her target’s henchman, and it slowly gets red as she takes down more and more people. Death by hammer is probably one of the worst possible ways to leave the planet, but it sure makes for one heck of a fight scene. Thank heavens films are make believe.
Prakoso Fighting In The Club
watching Yayan Ruhian fight is poetry in motion. Not only does the actor play a different character in each film, but he also choreographed the fighting for the series. His battle in a nightclub against more than ten opponents is like watching God itself practicing a martial art. Any readers of the old testament will know that book is about as violent as The Raid movies. The fight starts on the second floor, before he jumps down to the dance pit and takes them on there. Adding to the drama is the sympathy one feels for the character and his desire to see his daughter again, despite being a merciless hitman.
The Gunfight (The Raid)
Director Gareth Evans needed a reason for the cops to fight hand to hand and not use their assault rifles. To do this, the movie kicks off with a bombastic, claustrophobic firefight between the cops and criminals. It’s loud, abrasive, and the walls get soaked in red. By the end of it, tons of people are dead and everyone is out of ammunition. It may go on a little long for some, but it also tells the audience what kind of movie they are watching - a bloody, fast, and violent one.
Car Chase (The Raid 2)
Not all fight scenes are between people. Sometimes cars are exchanging blows. Still, with this being a martial arts film, people are still engaging in fisticuffs in the cars. Rama is beating his captors to a pulp while his buddy, Eka, is close behind trying to save him. The scene perfectly mixes hand to hand combat, gunfights, and people getting hit by cars. One impressive shot involves the camera moving through a car window and out the other side. Doing this required a camera man to sit in the car, disguised as a seat, and grab the camera from another operator.
Kitchen Fight Scene (The Raid 2)
The last fight of the sequel is a brutal one-on-one battle between Rama and a character simply known as The Assassin. The kitchen is sterile and white, but soon turns into a war zone as the two duel to the death. It starts out hand to hand, but the hitman soon whips out his weapon of choice, karambit. These small blades are deadly, but Rama is able to disarm him and deliver a fatal blow.
Mad Dog Vs. The Brothers
Rama and his brother take on Mad Dog in the first film’s final fight. The villain has already proven his amazing skills in combat, so the audience knows the odds are against the two.
Not only is Mad Dog faster and agile, but his endurance is also unmatched. Even after getting stabbed in the neck, he just keeps going. Only after Rama slits his throat is he put out of commission for good.
Prison Riot
The first act of The Raid 2 takes place in a prison, which culminates in an all out brawl in the mud. Rama’s goal is protecting Uco, but everybody else is going nuts, and cops keep pouring in to control the situation. This one truly seems like a free for all. Guards are beating up prisoners, and prisoners are defending themselves while also taking out grievances against other inmates.
