A recent rental release, The Raid: Redemption is totally worth the drive to the nearest Redbox. As far as kung-fu movies go, it doesn’t get much better than this. Be warned, The Raid is pretty damn violent– the entire movie is almost packed end-to-end with fight scenes, which include various weapons, plenty of hand-to-hand combat, copious amounts of blood, and some visceral details. To be sure, this film has some of the best fight scenes I’ve seen since Oldboy (without all the weird familial relations). In the brief intermittent scenes between scores of violence, this film masterfully builds tension. I suggest finding a teddy bear to hug or some food to gnaw on, lest you bite your nails incessantly (though on second thought, the food might not be a good idea given the gore). In addition to the awesome fight scenes, this film also has a satisfying story, which many kung-fu movies lack for me. If you’re even marginally interested in kung-fu movies, this is a must-see.
* Note: Not surprisingly, I completely disagree with Roger Ebert yet again. Between this and his Avengers review, I’ve decided he hates films and fun, and I vow to never mention him again on the blog.
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