Agree wholeheartedly. I, too, saw this at SXSW and was blown away. I don't know how it'll play in a regular film setting, but at the SX screening there was incredible energy. At the end of each fight scene it was as though the audience had to have a release of some sort, usually in the form of 'yeahs', 'oohhs,' 'awwes,' and general enthusiastic clapping. Following each fight scene, I kept wondering how they would top the last, and each time it delivered. The story is sparse, but it doesn't really matter b/c (a) that's not the reason you came to this movie, and (b) it's as though you need the five minutes in between each fight scene to regroup.
Just saw this last night, had to freaking drive to downtown/Houston to see this ****, I really hate driving down there, and Sundance theater is the last place I want to go see a movie because the theater is too damn small.. All that quibble aside, it was well worth it!!!! If you think Project X was a bad influence on kids throwing parties, then 'The Raid' will do it for violence on cops.. This movie is pure pure Villain mode.. The Director, Gareth Evans make David Fincher movies look like a Sophia Coppola film.. If I can summarize the movie in short description, I would say: If Game Of Death Meets Wrestlemania..
Sundance is the best theater in Houston. I don't know what you're talking about. I saw it there at the 9:55pm showing last night. As for the film, it was great. Exactly what it should have been. Best action film in decades? No. But it is up there with any film I've seen when it comes to fight scenes.
Sundance is not the best theater in Houston... I'd pick any of the Edwards theater before I pick Sundance.. No, the best theater in Houston is the Alamo Drafthouse/studio movie grill... I really didn't like their sound system much at Sundance, it's a little too artsy fartsy for my taste...
I saw it this afternoon at the Sundance. In my opinion the best theater in Houston as far as presentation. The films are appropriately lit, perfect sound and no riff raff texting, talking or eating really loudly. Nothing novel about the story itself. Kinda Assault on Precinct 9 meets Die Hard. But the action choreography is the best in quite some time. The editing and rhythm are near perfect. Great hyper violent action film. A breath of fresh air in these oversaturated PG13 times. You know how during the college football off season some coaches go to clinics by Chip Kelly or Dana Holgorsen. Well Chris Nolan should spend a summer with Garth Evans and learn how to f-cking properly choreograph a fight scene.
Looking forward to seeing this. All my friends are raving about this... every single one. I've taken Pencak Silat classes in Houston when I was in middle school. It's a mixture of ancient dancing and fighting, and focuses more on standing your ground on defense. At least that's what I thought I learned. Too bad the guy teaching was more focused on the dancing aspect and choreography part of it. It's a nice contrast to the Shaolin lessons I took in Elementary. For the record, I can't fight worth schitte today. Forgot everything I learned. I can flop and convince everyone I got fouled on pickup games though.
are the Sundance showings packed? I know their seatings are very limited. Do I need to preorder tix or can i just show up at the box office without worrying of a sellout?
I searched around and there's already a cam torrent for this. Not going to DL it though, I heard you have to see this in theaters first. Plus I'll probably get it on DVD later.
wow, intense is an understatement. you don't get a break with this movie. take a piss for 2 minutes and you'll miss something awesome. minimal dialogue, no lame love story, no comedic relief. just one kickass scene after another.
Just saw it.. I'd give it a 8.5/10 at the least. My thoughts: 1. Some of the dialogues are very different from the English subtitle if you understand Indonesian. I think the dialogues were written with the intention of being translated to English because in Indonesian, it sounds kind of weird. There are many points, however, that are meant for a comedic effect in Indonesian, but gets lost in the English translation. The English translation looks really cool compared to what is actually being said in Indonesian though. 2. The acting is pretty bad if you understand the language. This is especially true with the Sargent. But really who gives a schitte. Most of these guys aren't actors to begin with. They're martial artists who were picked to become actors. 3. The fighting did seem a bit rehearsed like they were going on counts at times. But the part where Rama was killing them minions with his baton and knife was awesome. 4. I'm so glad there were almost absolutely no women involved. No sappy love story or anything. Pure man movie. Also for the actors I heard all of them are actually professional fighters with some real martial arts background. The Mad Dog guy is actually the choreographer for the movie and in real life he trains the Densus 88, Indonesia's elite special force. Dude is trained and trained to kill. Scary guy to run across despite his small stature. The silat they used is nothing like the one I've trained. I guess it's good they didn't go that route. They went more with the straight to the point killing style. I really wish you guys can understand the language. At least when the big boss speaks. He's pure badass. Unfortunate they took that route with his character in the end. He and Mad Dog are pure badassery. Spoiler Did the guy's brother become the new drug lord in the end? I couldn't tell. Does that mean we could get a sequel with a battle between the brothers? That would be badass. And why did the group with the machete kill some of the injured bad guys? I thought they're all on the same team Lastly, I wished they had brought more swat members. I enjoyed watching them die. I think they only brought like 20 members out for this mission and it was really unfair how 3-6 swat members would die at a time by ambushed gunfire. No fun in them dying that way.
I don't care what anyone says but Gareth Evans is the best director working right now!!!! I'm still blown away by the fact that this is the same team who did 'Merantau?' That's like going from putt putt golf to winning the PGA Masters.. The fact that this is Evans 2nd only film and filmed/financed entirely in Indonesia is mind boggling... The editing/pacing/action choreography is all masterful, Tarantino couldn't pull this off and he's done what, 7 films???
Tarantino has a totally different style. Besides his movies have real story lines and badass conversations. Difficult to compare the both of them. I do agree with Merantau though. Man that was awful. I think that movie was just an experimental thing. Evans is a master in action sequences. I think he could take a camera crew and film me fapping to the Lindsay Lohan thread and make it look badass.
