Member OldPangYau Posted April 11, 2014 Member Share Posted April 11, 2014 My video review is finally finished and online! Enjoy! And as always, stay until the very end ;-) YsEjG66fHKw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lionclaw Posted April 11, 2014 Member Share Posted April 11, 2014 My video review is finally finished and online! Enjoy! And as always, stay until the very end ;-) YsEjG66fHKw I'm assuming this review has spoilers so I wait till I get back tonight to watch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OldPangYau Posted April 11, 2014 Member Share Posted April 11, 2014 I'm assuming this review has spoilers so I wait till I get back tonight to watch it. Not really, we were doing everything we could to avoid spoilers. However, it does have clips from the film, but nothing going into spoiler territory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 I got tix for the 10 p,m, show which is in less than 2 hrs.!!!!!!! And it's only 10 minutes from the house! AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 OK I just got back from seeing this movie and its nowhere near as good as the first movie as far as storyline goes. Action wise some of the fight scenes were even more brutal then in the first Film. But this movie just drag on a bit to much IMO! I agree there were a lot of hole in the storyline and stuff that really wasn't explained all that much. I did enojy some of the newer characters they brought into the movie. Even some of the fight scenes didn't need to be o make sense as to why these Guys were being set up. Now when we were chatting with Gareth Evans he said this film was suppose to be a trilogy I'm curious if he is still planing on a 3rd movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 This is a review one of my Friends wrote about this movie, he is an Indie film Writer and Director: Johnnyray Gasca March 29 at 2:20pm THE RAID 2 (Non-spoiler) REVIEW: As good as the first, so if you liked the first you won't be disappointed. If you have never seen any of the Hong Kong cinema of the 80s and 90s, then this may be one of the best action movies you have seen. Thus, such critical reviews and praises hailing the movie as a "masterpiece" and "Greatest action movie ever made" may be honest reviews for that reviewer. However, if you are familiar with Hong Kong cinema, then don't believe the hype. The movie doesn't contain a single stunt or fight maneuver that hasn't been done NUMEROUS times already in many other films, and in films which did them much more dangerously and dynamically. When Iko slings a thug into a corner of a curb or slams a head against a wall, it can't compare to the guys being kicked over a ledge and bouncing off several objects before hitting a floor with no map, as was a common staple in many Hong Kong films. When Iko is standing his ground against the onslaught of attackers, there isn't a single move or choreography maneuver that even comes close to rivaling the best of Tony Jaa in the same scenario. So the film was not even close to being one of the greatest action movies ever made. We are in a time when so few good movies are made that whenever we do get one this good, it has that extra kick of feeding a starving audience. The script was filled with many holes and the filmmakers definitely expect you to suspend your belief and just enjoy the ride. If one guy is ruthlessly executed, you are not expected to wonder why when the main star is knocked out, he is not executed as well, but instead given the courtesy of being carried off to get killed some place else for no other reason than to get him to the car for the next action scenario. The film is wrought with such "conveniences "and it made if difficult for me to "get into" the movie's story. Now this is a movie you come to for action, but the problem is that these "conveniences" continually appear throughout the action, such as a motorcycle assassin blazing a machine gun down the highway, but just as he catches up to the car, his clip runs out of bullets. These "conveniences" kept knocking me out of the moment and so I can't call it anything other than what it was - VERY LAZY scriptwriting and action story design. It frequently happens with sequels when the first has had such success that the filmmakers feel "we got this" and don't bother to fine tune their work as they did when they were less confident. It's bigger budget but less attention to detail. This attention is what separates the master filmmakers like James Cameron from the pack. Once you get caught in, there is no sloppiness that is going to let you "out" of a Cameron film. The Raid 2 knocked me out of it's scenes several times denying me that thrill that I got from the first film and that I get from great action films. The biggest flaw of the film (and I will be extra careful here not to give anything away) is not understanding what makes a great villain and why audiences are endeared to one. Boba Fett is a Star Wars favorite because he is cool. Darth Vader was just as cool and unflinchingly ruthless (until the prequels destroyed all of that). And in the same vein the first Raid gave us the sinister Mad Dog who tells us clearly he LOVES the thrill of the fight. I won't tell you what the filmmakers do with that character for the sequel, but it is obvious WHY they did it. Since he became a favorite character, they then attempt to turn him into a likeable guy, thus attempting to make Darth Vader someone you feel sorry for and want to have a meal with. Nothing short of amateurish and ridiculous. And the done-to-death cliche devices they attempt to use to endear us to Mad Dog were eye-rolling. I just completely cut him out of the story and pretended I didn't see it, the way one tries to erase Jar-Jar Binks. As referring to only the ACTION, the movie is a solid all-around action piece lead by a filmmaker that understands pacing, so there is never a dull moment. And I could actually see the filmmaker improving as he went along, so that by the time we get to the final fights, you are treated to some masterful moments. By now most have seen Hammer Girl and Bat Boy snippets, but when they both battle Iko near the film's final (as if you didn't know that was going to happen), it was dazzling. Rather than featuring the same by-the-numbers moves and rotating camera shots of the film's previous fights, this battle was unique. It contained some highly creative movements and the spacing where it took place denied the camera to be used to way is had been used throughout the movie previously, thus forcing it to be filmed differently and having the added effect of a different feel than the other fights. It was in that battle that I found my high and was treated to what I came for. That one scene itself made the movie worth watching. No one did any moves that would rival the best of Jet Li , Donnie Yen or Tony Jaa, but everyone was in perfect sync with not a single convenient detail was thrown in. It was here that everyone involved clearly understood "it has to be great." And you can see it in the result. I just wish the whole film would have been given that attention to detail. Then it would truly have been one to the greatest action films of all time. Instead, it's just a damn good one. Don't miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lionclaw Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 Just got back and by the end of the film my heart was racing and I was shaking. (Can't remember the last time that happened while watching a movie.) While the story was a bit too complex for it's own good, I never found my self checking the clock. Evans improved his filming techniques a great deal. There were too many great set pieces and innovative camera movements to count. Every action scene was perfectly set up, making the pay offs more effective. The third act was just amazing. I had a huge grin on my face as I winced at all the blows being delivered. I'd say this movie is like an enjoyable heart attack but highly recommended for action junkies..........To reiterate, I've never seen a third act so deliciously rewarding. Support this movie!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted April 12, 2014 Moderator Share Posted April 12, 2014 I'll have to respectfully disagree with Johnnyray Gasca's review When Iko is standing his ground against the onslaught of attackers, there isn't a single move or choreography maneuver that even comes close to rivaling the best of Tony Jaa in the same scenario. So the film was not even close to being one of the greatest action movies ever made. While I've still yet to give much thought to if I actually class 'The Raid 2' as the greatest action movie ever made, I can safely say that if I was to come up with a reason for why it wasn't, it definitely wouldn't be that it doesn't compare to "the best of Tony Jaa". I presume this comment is drawing comparison to 'Ong Bak' & 'Tom Yum Goong', which while both delivering on action, had rather weak excuses for plots, and even weaker execution. The biggest flaw of the film (and I will be extra careful here not to give anything away) is not understanding what makes a great villain and why audiences are endeared to one. Boba Fett is a Star Wars favorite because he is cool. Darth Vader was just as cool and unflinchingly ruthless (until the prequels destroyed all of that). And in the same vein the first Raid gave us the sinister Mad Dog who tells us clearly he LOVES the thrill of the fight. I won't tell you what the filmmakers do with that character for the sequel, but it is obvious WHY they did it. Since he became a favorite character, they then attempt to turn him into a likeable guy, thus attempting to make Darth Vader someone you feel sorry for and want to have a meal with. Nothing short of amateurish and ridiculous. And the done-to-death cliche devices they attempt to use to endear us to Mad Dog were eye-rolling. I just completely cut him out of the story and pretended I didn't see it, the way one tries to erase Jar-Jar Binks. This whole statement is completely mis-informed, for the simple reason that Yayan Ruhian is playing a different character in 'The Raid 2'. If the fact that his name in this movie is Prakoso and not Mad Dog didn't give that away, then the fact that Mad Dog got his throat ripped open by a piece of fluorescent light tube at the end of 'The Raid' should have at least given some hint. Either way, mentioning him in the same sentence as Jar-Jar Binks should at least earn Mr Gasca a hammer to the face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 I'm on my way now!! Sooo pumped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator KUNG FU BOB Posted April 12, 2014 Administrator Share Posted April 12, 2014 Saw this today, first screening, with my son and a dear friend (that we nearly lost a few weeks ago). Afterward we left the theater smiling, dazed, and chatting with excitement about everything that makes it one of the best action films ever made. A more than worthy follow-up to the original, vastly improved in basically every way. Just magnificent. Thankfully the audience was perfect- no talking, texting or phone nonsense- and oohed, ahhed and even broke into appreciative applause several times. We were all blown away and considered catching another screening of it again immediately. It was that good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 My impressions and here we go: I masturbated to Hammer girl when it was hammer time. The audience didn't seemed to mind because they were too busy clapping while I was 4 rows above fapping. Trust me, The Raid 2 is better than the 1st one in every way possible. The 1st film is dead to me. The 1st film really is like for instance the movie Die hard, everyone's familiar with that film right? Extract the action set pieces from that classic film and turn it into a 90 min feature and you have the raid 1. The Raid 2, on the other hand feels like a complete movie, fleshed out with characters and set designs, and action set pieces and add in the thumping score. Trust me when I say it's better than the first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 OAB: I think Johnnyray hit a lot of key points on the head I guess him being an Indie Film maker he will critique the films more than we do. I felt a lot of The Raid 2 dragged on , I agree that the action scenes were awesome as I had hoped for but a lot of the characters were bland, like Bejo. The 3rd act was just amazing I was on the edge of my seat. I just feel like G.E. tried to cram to much into this movie, all at once. Trust me I'm glad I seen it on the big screen and I will be looking forward to picking it up on BR when it gets released in the future as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 Okay, here's the experience. My best friend and I took in the 10 p.m. show. We were the only ones in the theater. (It amazes me no else turned out to watch this, but hey! I got to enjoy it the way I wanted to: in a big screen room and alone, relatively speaking. So this was like watching it at home because we could react and comment to one another, something I would never do otherwise.) The plot? Very involved, but easily followed. Were there holes in it? Sure. So what? Were there lags in the story? Yep. I had to suffer through them for a few minutes a couple of times. Wah. Like I give a crap about that. The action? Good grief, dude. I can't even remember all the set pieces. This movie is insane. Lots of gun play. It had one of the most killer car chases committed to film....with a fight going on in one of the cars the whole time! The fights? Oh...my...word!!! I was absolutely astounded. The pacing of the fights throughout the film was fantastic. The prison yard mud battle was frenetic. The bathroom brawl was brutal. And the escalating end fights were just superbly captivating. There was just sooooo much killer choreography. What I didn't like about the film? Well, I know a lot of folks are all about Hammer Girl, but I thought she was meh. (Bat Boy was a way better henchman.) Not enough Yayan Ruhian. I was disappointed that he wasn't featured more. But I think he was also working on The Night Comes For Us with Joe Taslim at the time. If so, that's forgivable, but I was really looking forward to seeing him throwdown more. The main thing I hated was that I didn't have a remote control or any way to make the projectionist rewind certain segments so I could watch them again. I can not wait for the Blu-ray of this already. (Don't know if I can get away with it, but I may try to sneak off and see this again.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 @daisho2004, Baseball bat kid and Hammer girl are bland characters? Prokoso is bland? The assassin was bland? Rama was bland? Uco was a character I was invested in immensely. Did you hear me when I said I was masturbating in the theaters??? Dat not reaction you get if bland characterz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 Here is another of her weapons. She uses this when she gets you in the ocean. LOL! THE HAMMER HEAD SHARK ME BOY! GD Y-Y Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member BaronK Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 Heard there was going to be limited release but didn't realize it was going to be as wide. Going Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member mpm74 Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 My impressions and here we go: I masturbated to Hammer girl when it was hammer time. The audience didn't seemed to mind because they were too busy clapping while I was 4 rows above fapping. Dude.... LMAO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 I will be the one to say it... I still enjoy the first one more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Karlos Posted April 12, 2014 Moderator Share Posted April 12, 2014 Where I live it's barely getting shown at the (4!) cinemas the city has, which is insane but sadly par for the course for a film that's "in foreign and with writing". BUT have managed to sort out a showing for tomorrow. Obviously, the raves on here and elsewhere have got me counting the hours down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 ...have managed to sort out a showing for tomorrow. Cool beans, bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 just got back and my muscles are Hurting!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 the mad dog sub-plot was interesting and would love to see a spin-off somewhere..or in the 3rd part,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Dale Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 Saw it with group of friends last night I think they wanted less mafia plot but I didn't care because their was more total action then the first. Everyone generally had a blast though. I'm seeing with another group tonight. https://www.facebook.com/vishnuprasad.dhanapal/posts/782536491759508?comment_id=7865042&offset=0&total_comments=3¬if_t=mentions_comment The kitchen fight was so intense people were figiting in their seats during it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 the kitchen fight was Ill, women were having orgasms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted April 12, 2014 Member Share Posted April 12, 2014 I will go on record to say I will challenge anyone who disapproves this movie. Whether by verbal or face to face. Try me, I dare you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.