Film Review: Merantau

After the sheer giddy joy of watching Gareth Evan's The Raid (review here) I almost immediately had a look to see if he had made any other films. I hit pay dirt with Merantau, which was the first collaboration with Evans and the star of The Raid, Iko Uwais.

Whilst The Raid wastes no time getting to the action, Merantau has a slower pace as it tells the story of Yuda who leaves his quiet village to travel to the bustling city of Jakarta as part of his 'merantau', an ancient rite of passage all young men in his community partake in on the road to becoming a man.

"Aw shit, he's got PIPES!"

When he arrives, looking to start teaching the martial art of Silat Harimau, he finds himself homeless, and soon comes across a damsel in distress in the form of Astri (Sisca Jessica) who is part of a human trafficking ring run by unhinged gangster Ratger (Mads Koudal.)

The plot is nothing original, but then again neither was The Raids, but in the case of Merantau it's a small negative, as that basic plot is dragged out a bit, whereas The Raid wasted no time in cutting to the chase. I'm not one to compare films in reviews normally, but I feel like that is a fair comparison to make.

Other than that minor quibble, it's hard to fault Merantau. The action (which does actually benefit from a slow build) is top notch, and absolutely brutal. So much so in fact that I found in strange that the film was given a 15 rating in this country. The fighting (which involved some nasty looking spills) coupled with an insanely violent and prolonged shooting really looked more like 18 material to me. U.S. readers will probably just know the film as an R.

If you liked The Raid, I can't recommend checking out Merantau enough, and after that join me in awaiting the next Gareth Evans and Iko Uwais project!

****
More kick ass action from Indonesia. Excellent fighting, but the plot does drag ever so slightly. Still well worth a watch for fight fans.

Film Review: The Raid (The Raid: Redemption)

It's safe to say that when it comes to action movies at the cinemas things can feel a little stale sometimes. I like films such as the Transporter series, Fast Five and The Avengers as much as the next person, but we live in an age where the action isn't really focused on, with hyper-fast 'MTV editing' so you can barely tell who is beating the living tar out of who.

Of course films like Ong-Bak, Warrior King and Ip Man give action the attention it deserves, but unless you know of the work of Tony Jaa or Donnie Yen, these films could easily pass you by. But somehow, The Raid managed to get a countrywide cinema release, and this is at a time where The Avengers is still ruling the roost, so it watching a film like this on the big screen really did feel like a breath of fresh air. And it has subtitles, and those 'sort' of films only ever hit the multiplex when they have an Academy Award nomination...

Bone crunching ruck #87

The plot is pretty straightforward and we waste no time launching into it. A SWAT team become trapped in an apartment tenement building which is run by a ruthless mobster, who instructs his men and tenants alike to kill the team. All hell breaks loose, and we have a massive fight on our hands.

That is pretty much it. Sure, there a few twists and turns in the plot along the way, and it's not exactly difficult to see these coming, but you don't go into these sort of films expecting labyrinthine story telling. The film is just 100 minute of bone-crushing action. It begins with bullets, and when they run out the characters use their fists, and whatever other weapons aren't nailed down.

The fights involve the Indonesian fighting style 'Pencak Silat' which is just incredible to watch. A US remake (groan) has already been greenlit, and I can't see Hollywood taking any chances using a fighting style like that with actors, and that is really the heart of the film. And there is no-one in the States that would be cast like Iko Uwais (Rama) or Yayan Ruhian (the frankly insane, unstoppable Mad Dog.) Sure, there are fighters like that, but they will never be cast in a Hollywood movie.

You can see the films inspiration, the classic Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan films, but 'danger in a building' actioners like Die Hard. If you have even a passing interest in any of these films, The Raid is for you.


*****
Welsh director Gareth Evans has not done anything wholly original here, but that doesn't even matter. The Raid is the best action film in years, and gives the audience nothing but seat edge thrills from beginning to end, and some of the best fight sequences (which are shot properly!) you'll ever see. Check it out while you can.