Return of THE RAID REDEMPTION

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD and Steelbook from writer/director Gareth Evans and Sony Pictures Classics is THE RAID REDEMPTION.

Officer Rama (Iko Uwais) is part of the Mobil Brigade Corps that is led by Sgt. Jaka (Joe Taslim) and Lt. Wahyu (Pierre Gruno). There is a plan raid on an apartment building and their target is crime lord Tama Riyadi (Ray Sahetapy) but to get to him, the group must get past most tenants that are criminals and live under his protection. With a plan in place, they arrive at the building and met by a tenant who is trying to take care of his ill spouse.

Gaining entry, the brigade makes its way floor by floor and by the 6^th floor they are detected and now dealing with Tama’s men coming from below and above. Knowing they are trapped, Jaka asks Wahyu to call for reinforcements and learns the truth about what they are doing. Finding momentary reprieve in an empty apartment, they aren’t safe for long.

Seeing all of this from Tama’s cameras that are strategically placed everywhere in the building is Andi (Donny Alamsyah) who feels the need to help Rama. The biggest threat is Mad Dog (Yayan Ruhian) who is laser focused on doing as much damage as possible to every cop he meets. As Jaka gets up higher and higher in the building, more secrets are revealed and his determination to survive and bring out the surviving officers

Uwais as Rama is a man who is just trying to get home to a wife who is expecting their first child. Trusting in the men he is being led by, going into the criminal apartment complex that is filled with those who will protect their gangster leader at all costs. Once Rama realizes what he is up against, Uwais puts his character into full steam ahead with swift and spectacular martial arts.

Alamsyah as Andi is working for Tama but there is a secret he is keeping from his crime boss. Once he teams up with Rama, there is only one person standing in their way and don’t let his size fool you. Ruhian as Mad Dog is that size! He is a one-man death-wrecking crew who doesn’t need to say much as his action make it clear who he is.

Sahetapy as Tama is ruthless and has control of more than just the apartment building. He is feared by everyone and crossing him is a death sentence. With almost everyone in his pocket, Rama knows that he is not going to give up. Taslim as Sgt. Jaka leads his men into the building and realizes too late that they are not going to be walking back out the front door alive.

Other cast include Alfridus Godfred, Henky Solaiman, Fikha Effendi, Verdi Soliman, Ananda George, Yusuf Opilus, Iang Darmawan as Gofar, Tegar Satrya as Bowo, Eka Rahmadia as Dagu.

Sony Pictures Classics brings television, digital content, new entertainment services, independent films and technologies to viewers. Such films as GREED, THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY, THE CLIMB, CHARM CITY KINGS, I CARRY YOU WITH ME and THE FATHER are just a few of the current and upcoming releases. For more information on what Sony Pictures Classics has to offer please visit www.sonyclassics.com. 

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Special Features include Unrated Version of the Feature Presented in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision,5.1 Indonesian and English Audio, Commentary with Gareth Evans, Behind-the-Scenes Video Blogs, Inside the Score, In Conversation with Gareth Evans and Mike Shinoda, An Evening with Gareth Evans, Mike Shinoda and Joe Trapanese, Behind the Music with Mike Shinoda and Joe Trapanese, Anatomy of a Scene with Gareth Evans, Claycat’s THE RAID, THE RAID TV Show Ad (circa 1994) and Theatrical Trailer.

This is definetly an epic martial arts film as the cast goes floor to floor meeting some of the most vicious criminals that the crime lord Tama could gather together. Director Evans, who also wrote the script, had a vision that played fantastically on the screen. The apartment building itself plays a pivotal role in the fight scenes and ultimate survival of Rama and his team.

The cinematography is stunning keeping the greyish danger lurking around every corner. The skill of the martial arts is intense and exactly what I would expect and, of course, Uwais, Ruhian and Alamsyah are the stars. The scene between these three men had my own bones aching after it was all over.

If you are needing an intense one hundred and two-minute thrill ride of action and suspense then curl up, popcorn bowl in hand and be prepared to cheer for survival with THE RAID REDEMPTION.

In the end – survival is their mission!  

MILE 22 Brings Wahlberg and Director Berg Back Together for Action

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from director/producer Peter Berg and STX Entertainment comes a fast paced chase to MILE 22.

James Silva (Mark Wahlberg), Alice Kerr (Lauren Cohan), and Sam Snow (Ronda Rousey) are part of a CIA prized group of operatives who are sent to handle special missions. In their latest take down, the team loses a man, takes down Russians up to no good and intel.

In Asia, Kerr has an informant that needs their protection and Silva isn’t thrilled about it. Li Noor (Iko Uwais) has turned himself in to the embassy claiming to have information about the whereabouts of missing chemicals. What makes this even more interesting is that the local authorities want him back and they have Axel (Sam Medina) to make that happen.

The secret tactical command team led by Bishop (John Malkovich) works with Silva’s team being the eyes and ears getting Noor to an airstrip twenty-two miles from the embassy for extraction. Along with Bishop is King (Keith Bolden), Knight (Jenique Hendrix), Rook (Billy Smith) and Pawn (Myke Holmes) who have the technology to make it happen.

What they don’t know is that the team has eyes on them as well. In the skies above is Vera (Natasha Goubskaya) and Russian military Aleksander (Nikolai Nikolaeff) and they want something too.

The information everyone wants has a key that only Noor knows and it will not be around long. The clock is ticking as every move is being watched and sometimes you have to trust someone you don’t know to survive.

Every mile matters!

Wahlberg as Silva is a very hyperactive, intense and fast talking individual who gives zero frakks about propriety or rank. Some might call it monologuing but he does it with such speed that it will make your mind spin while you giggle at the same time. He lays everything out on the table and yet his team means everything – even if he doesn’t act like it all the time. Wahlberg turns in his usual strong performance in a story that is fast telling and even faster in action.

Cohan as Kerr is a mother who is dealing with an ex-husband who likes to have control. Personally I would be so quick to control a woman who has no problem with speaking her mind or pointing a weapon in someone’s face! She believes in her contact Noor wants to see him safe. Anyone who has watched AMC’s The Walking Dead can see that Cohan brings it to this role as well.

Rousey as Snow is tough and pretty much took this role and ran with it. Malkovich as Bishop is suave and in control of his team. Goubskaya as Vera watches everything from the air and doesn’t bat an eye when the team comes under fire. Skeggs as MIT gets a shout out because the scene between she and Silva is epic and fast.

Uwais as Noor is fan-frikken-tastic but then again if you have seen THE RAID in 2011 and THE RAID 2 in 2014 then you know this role is very cool for him. There is no doubt that his martial arts is on point and brutal but Uwais takes this character to another level that made my jaw drop – oh yea, he’s got this.

Other cast include Carlo Alban as William Douglas, Chae-rin Lee as Queen, Emily Skeggs as MIT, Terry Kinney as Johnny Porter, Brandon Scales as Jacob Stone, Poorna Jagannathan as Dorothy Brady, Elle Graham as India and Peter Berg as Lucas.

Berg and Wahlberg have proven that their true story telling is a calling card of the duo and they do it well. This is a bit of a turn from the last few years but there’s nothing wrong with that either. I don’t mind being taken out of the realm of reality for an hour and a half to just sit back and watch the film do its job – entertain me.

MILE 22 is a total action film that doesn’t give the audience a moment to sit still. The speak is just as fast as any bullet flying provided by Wahlberg and Cohan making sure we understand they mean business. Each character in the film has a role to play and man does it get played intensely.

Berg doesn’t disguise the good or bad of either side but instead goes in full bore on the game of modern warfare. It’s no longer easy to recognize friend or foe when it’s all treated like a game. The cinematography is pretty cool keeping up with the pace of the story but then again if you are going to have an action film – go big or go home!

In the end – Option 1: Diplomacy, Option 2: Military…meet Option 3!