If you're looking for a bloody, action-packed martial arts movie franchise, The Raid and its sequel, The Raid 2, are among the very best. Behind the Indonesian hit is Gareth Evans, a Welsh filmmaker and screenwriter whose experience shooting a documentary about the Indonesian martial art pencak silat inspired him to create his own brutally thrilling niche in the genre. The movie became popular through word-of-mouth and has become a cult classic in the martial arts genre.
Director Gareth Evans has since gone on to direct, Havoc, starring Tom Hardy – which isn’t technically a martial arts movie, but it still shares similar themes and stylish fighting sequences like The Raid franchise. As a worldwide Netflix release, the movie has puts Gareth Evans into the spotlight and will surely inspire more interest in the franchise that made him one of the most exciting action directors working today. Whether you're watching The Raid franchise for the first time after seeing Tom Hardy's Havoc, or simply looking for where to watch one of your favorite movies for hand-to-hand combat – here's how to watch The Raid movies in order and where to find them on streaming services.
The Raid (2011)
The Raid isn’t Gareth Evans’ first Indonesian action film, having previously helmed Footsteps and Merantau, but it’s definitely his best-known. The movie’s premise is right in the title, as it chronicles a raid inside an apartment block led by the Indonesian National Police’s tactical squad. With the aim of arresting the drug lord Tama (Ray Sahetapy), the squad's mission leads to a series of wildly action-packed confrontations.
If you're used to standard action movie fare, you'll find something unique in this Indonesian action thriller. Its breakneck pacing, gory action sequences, and gritty plot are truly sights to behold. Not to mention, The Raid harbors some of the best stunts in cinematic history, with fights choreographed by stars Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian. As a worldwide critical hit, it’s no surprise that the film earned a sequel delving into the aftermath of one of the bloodiest stories of all time.
The Raid 2 (2014)
It’s not often that sequels live up to their original installments. However, The Raid 2 does just that. Directed and written by Gareth Evans, the film follows Rama (Iko Uwais), one of the few surviving police officers from The Raid: Redemption, as he infiltrates the seedy underbelly of Jakarta to uncover the corruption among politicians and even his fellow officers. As expected of Evans’ films, The Raid 2 delivers over-the-top violence not intended for squeamish audiences, with returning star, Iko Uwais, handling all the nitty gritty of fighting choreography.
Like its predecessor, the sequel has no shortage of impressive stunts and bloody action sequences to keep you entertained until the hopeful arrival of The Raid 3. While there's no confirmation of turning the franchise into a trilogy, director Gareth Evans has expressed interest in developing the third installment.
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