First Hit: The focus of this film is great martial arts fighting – nothing more and nothing less - and in this realm it is great.
"The Raid: Redemption" is a flimsy story about a building being run by a criminal who leases rooms out to drug manufacturers, drug dealers, crooks and other poor unfortunates and the police decide to take the building back for the community.
There is an understory about one of the police raid leaders being connected in some way to the leader of the building (payoffs), but this is downplayed.
The choreography in most of the fight scenes is top-notch – some of the best I’ve ever seen on film. Even though there is a touching moment at the beginning of the film where Rama (Iko Uwais) is saying goodbye to his pregnant wife, and she tells him to be safe and come home soon, nothing else in this film is about life outside of the fight.
Therefore, be warned - if you want more than great staged fight scenes see something else.
Iko Uwais is the star of this and his abilities are amazing. His serene inner place and physical abilities were nothing short of sublime. Yanyan Ruhian as Mad Dog is equally amazing in his physical abilities. Gareth Evans wrote and directed this film.
Overall: Although the dialogue is not really important, the martial arts choreography is A+.