The Raid:Redemption - The Most Influential Action Movie of the 20th Century

Yesterday my buddy sent me the trailer for Netflix’s new movie Havoc. About 15 seconds into the trailer, words flash across the screen reading “From the Director of The Raid”. I didn’t even bother finishing the trailer. I simply texted my buddy back “Did that just say “from the director of The Raid? Holy shit!” I didn’t need to know one more thing about this movie. I was in.

While I am waiting for my wife so we can watch it together, I figured I’d take the time to explain why that one piece of information made me want to drop everything and watch Havoc.

In case you are like me and you were living under a rock since 2011 and did not know about the movie The Raid: Redemption until last year, I am about to do you a huge favor. If you are far wiser than me and you had already seen The Raid ten times since 2011, good for you! I am jealous.

The Raid is the most influential action move of the 21st century. That is how I stumbled upon it more than a decade too late. I was reading something about John Wick 4 and it mentioned that the series was strongly influenced by The Raid, an Indonesian film directed by a Swede named Gareth Evans. This information sent me down a rabbit hole.

“The Raid? Never head of it? What is that?”, I thought to myself. I then began to read about all of the projects that were strongly influenced by the incredible action sequences in the Raid. It used a steady camera and very long takes and full body shots during the action choreography.

Did you like the close combat scenes in Daredevil? Do you remember when Daredevil fights about 20 guys in a hallway during a 10 minute long non-stop fight sequence? Well that would have never happened before The Raid. The actors, stuntmen, and stunt coordinator said they studied The Raid in order to plan that scene. *Studied.*

Do you think John Wick’s “Gunfu” is the coolest thing to happen to action movies since the Matrix? Me too… until you realize John Wick’s film makers unapologetically and actually brag that they were trying to make the action sequences as exciting as those in The Raid. Do you like how Wick actually seems to get tired during a fight (even though he always seems to replenish that energy before the next fight)? That too is inspired by the Raid.

These are not the only action movies who have directly thanked The Raid for teaching them a trick or too. All of the Deadpool films involve action sequences inspired by The Raid. So do Atomic Blonde (incredibly underrated spy/action movie) and Nobody. It should come as no surprise that the show Banshee does as well.

Ok so the movie The Raid has some action sequences that are so amazing they sparked a new trend in Hollywood. What is the movie about?

Ummmmmmm you don’t get it. Those amazing action sequences are the movie. There is approximately 4 minutes of set up to start the film. You meet the main character, a young police officer with a pregnant wife. Then you see the team he is on in the back of a van headed to a building that is run by a crime lord. And then the action starts. Approximately 90 minutes later the action stops. During those 90 minutes, you will not be able to look away from the screen. Although I have loved all of the projects influenced by The Raid, this is the original and it is the best. If you haven’t seen it. Watch it immediately. If you have seen it, watch it again!

Anybody else out there who discovered this gem late? Anybody see it in the theater when it first came out? What are your thoughts?