The Raid: Redemption

I saw The Raid: Redemption with the knowledge it was likely to be the most brutal and visceral action movie I had seen in some time - it didn't disappoint!
The Raid is directed by Gareth Evans and stars Iko Uwais. The pair met during filming of Evans' documentary, 'Land of Moving Shadows: Pencak Silat'. Pencak Silat is an ancient Indonesian martial art - of which Uwais is a master. The pair made 'Merantau' soon after(their first feature together) and are endeavouring to showcase Silat with each new feature they produce.
The Raid tells the story of Rama(Uwais), a devoted husband with a baby on the way. Rama is a member of the SWAT team. After a brief introduction to this man, we are thrown into the action.
We follow Rama's SWAT team to an inner-city tenement, run by a ruthless mobster - housing 30 floors of killers and thugs!
As far as the audience is concerned, this infestation of villainy has been active for some time - and we just happened upon the day the good guys decided to 'clean house'! There is more going on than meets the eye however, and as the team make their way towards the top of the tenement, a web of lies and deceit is slowly revealed.
But who needs a plot when the action leaves you breathless!
Soon after the SWAT team breach, the inevitable happens. The villains attack and the men are divided. No longer a forceful team, the survivors are grouped in threes and fours. With numbers and ammo depleted, the 'good guys' are forced to do whatever is necessary to survive. Once the rifles and pistols are made obsolete, the art of Silat is given full credence!
Each opponent is worthy, with both law-man and criminal alike showing incredible skill and technique. It's a site to behold and(were it not for the delay in visual from audio at the theatre I attended) will rank as some of the best action choreography ever to be put to film.
As the plot reveals itself, the stakes rise for those still standing - the resulting brawls increasingly intense. It's edge of the set stuff, deserved of applause - the screening I attended responded appropriately!
The Raid is a great action film, expertly handled by a relative newcomer. I look forward to seeing it again(without the technical fault) and will keep an eye out for future productions by this talented team - 4/5.