Any film critic worth their spurs will tell you that the overall quality of a film is often determined by whether said film achieves what it ultimately set out to do. Whether that be to excite, scare, educate, entertain or inform. By this admission, Gareth Evans’ pulsating martial arts romp The Raid is a five star hit, and probably the best and most intense action movie of 2012. Definitely the most exciting; jaw-dropping stunts and set-plays with wave after wave of baddies, bullets and beat-downs to boot.
This is a gritty and brilliantly conceived assent into hell that’ll no doubt spurn a horde of sequels and remakes. Whether that’s a good thing remains to be seen of course but as a stand-alone action spectacle, The Raid is as good as it gets. Think you’ve seen it all when it comes to high-concept movies? Think again.
The Raid (2012), directed by Gareth Evans, is released on blu-ray and DVD in the UK by Momentum Pictures, Certificate 18.
