The Raid 2

         Gareth Evans does it all...screenwriter, director, choreography and producer but it's star Iko Uwais that you will never forget in this "sequel" to "The Raid: Redemption". In the first film, Rama, a cop played by Uwais storms his way into an apartment complex overrun by bad guys and fights his way to the top in what was billed as one of the greatest action films ever (and was). "The Raid 2" picks up moments later as Rama, with barely time to breathe,  is recruited to go undercover and infiltrate a gang of very, very bad criminals.

           In this new film, Mr. Evans actually makes an attempt at a real plot but borrows heavily from "Infernal Affairs" (later done as "The Departed" by Martin Scorsese) as his undercover cop Rama, finds himself in the middle of a mob war. The dialog is silly, in sub-titles and barely necessary since you bought your ticket for the action but endure the story and you will be rewarded by amazing sequences. Mr Uwais is a living version of the cartoon Tasmanian Devil and has moves Bruce Lee could only dream of. The fight scenes are breathtaking in a beautiful ballet of violence and mayhem. No CGI here, you feel every punch and Mr. Evans has a particular style that leaves you surprised with every battle.

          You may quickly forget the plot but you will remember the fight in the prison yard, the fight in the kitchen, the fight in a moving car, and the fight in the hallway just to highlight the best of the action sequences. The fight choreography is incredibly real and so inventive that if you are a martial arts aficionado or just an action junkie, you will be blown away.