I’m so excited to watch Gareth Evans’ The Raid 2, the only thing I wouldn’t do to in order to see It right now is actually get into one of the insanely choreographed fights that serve as the predominant draw. Well, I also probably wouldn’t want to actually go through the physically taxing process of learning all the choreography and performing the stunts. So I guess what I’m willing to sacrifice for this flick is the half-hour or so it takes me to write about the newly released "Internet trailer" for it. It’ll certainly keep my insurance company happy.
Given the film is right around 2 ½ hours long, it wouldn’t be detrimental if Sony, XYZ Films and Stage 6 just kept releasing trailer after trailer in order to get more people interested. It’s not as if they can spoil a thousand amazingly complex fight scenes in 1:20 intervals. It’s rare that I actually want more from a trailer, but this trailer (via IGN) just makes me want to watch the whole movie over and over again. I wonder if there’s a patch I can get for this.
Given the film’s ocean-and-border-crossing appeal, it makes sense that this trailer is completely free from dialogue, with only character grunts, groans and screams to be heard; and there are tons of those. I mean, there’s also guns being cocked and shot, windows being smashed around flying bodies, bats and nightsticks smashing into bodies, screeching car tires and a hood being lifted off of someone’s head. It kind of makes sense that something word-free would leave me speechless with glee.
Whereas the first film saw honest cop Rama (Iko Uwais) battling an apartment building full of thugs, his problems only get deeper and wider in this sequel. His deeds have captured the attention of the higher-up crime lords, and Rama has to protect his family by going undercover into what looks like the most kinetically violent part of society that could ever exist, all so he can once and for all take down the crooked politicians and cops that got him in this mess in the first place. Plus, he’s got to fight the aptly named Hammer Girl at some point, which could serve as its own feature, I’m sure.
Our resident movie maestro Sean went and saw The Raid 2 during its troublesome SXSW screening and walked away from it ready to destroy people’s faces. After watching the equally pummeling first trailer below, go carve the film’s March 28 release date into your calendar.
