Finally saw it last night and it was f***ing phenomenal. The action sequences were just as amazing as the first film if not better, and there are good dramatic beats in between so we got some more character development with Rama and the other characters. Although the frenetic pacing and slightly tighter narrative would still lead me to rank The Raid a little higher than Berandal, this is still a very worthy sequel that does a great job of expanding the story.
Director Gareth Evans seems to be taking some cues from his contemporaries here; the new additions to the cast like Hammer Girl, Baseball Bat Man and Bejo feel like they would fit right in with a great Tarantino film. And many of the sets and cinematography remind me of (the only good parts of) Nicholas Winding Refn's Only God Forgives. Indeed, Berandal is pretty much the film that OGF probably SHOULD have been if Refn hadn't sacrificed story, character development and action (which he did so well in Drive and Bronson) for overall stupidity and pretentiousness.
Iko Uwais once again kicks all kinds of ass as Rama, but also adds another dimension to the character as we see him struggle to keep his sanity and his humanity by going deep, deep undercover. Yayan Ruhian also returns as a surprisingly sympathetic character who, while a ruthless assassin for the mob, clearly has a code (he apparently doesn't hurt women and only kills people that he has to) and cares deeply for his wife and child. The new characters are all great additions as well; many of them are only in a few scenes but they make the most of what they are given.
My only complaint about the film is that it often seems a little too convenient that so few of these thugs carry guns, thus enabling our hero or some other characters to engage in long battles that could have ended in seconds if a well-aimed shot was fired. It seems a little unrealistic to think that the criminal elite of an area this corrupt would have so few firearms lying around. Nevertheless, we don't WANT these actions sequences to end quickly and Evans knows that.
Although the way the film ends could bring closure to the story of Rama if it had to, I certainly hope the box office for this has been good enough for them to greenlight a third installment. They already have my ticket. I'd probably watch another 10 Raid movies but Evans said he envisioned this as a trilogy so that probably where it should stop. Hopefully he'll get the chance to complete his vision.
10/10
