The Raid

Set inside a crumbling Jakarta apartment block, the building serves as a fortress for a feared drug lord and his gang. An elite SWAT team moves in at predawn to shut down the operation and detain the kingpin. A spotter's careless tip exposes their plan, the power is cut, and every exit is sealed. With communications down and the stairwell crawling with enemies, the team finds themselves trapped on the upper floors. They must improvise, relying on rapid improvisation and brutal close quarters tactics to push through floor after floor. The pressure tightens as waves of attackers descend, and each decision in the dim, claustrophobic hallways could mean life or death. The clock ticks while the city outside stays oblivious.

Directed by Gareth Evans, The Raid is an original screenplay not adapted from another work, marking Evans's breakout moment on the international stage as a hard hitting action director when the film arrived in 2012. It blends practical stunts seamlessly.

Budgeted at 1,100,000 dollars, The Raid grossed 9,148,519 dollars worldwide, illustrating how a lean, kinetic thriller can far exceed expectations. The strong returns reflect international interest and show that tightly designed action can travel beyond its regional roots today globally.

The Raid broadened the reach of Indonesian cinema, elevating Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian to international recognition and influencing action filmmakers with its practical, grounded approach to combat. Its extended, unbroken corridor fights and relentless tempo became touchstones, inspiring a wave of imitators and a new standard for kinetic realism.

Critics praised its taut execution, crisp choreography, and claustrophobic mood. The film hones in on survival under brutal pressure and the murky ethics of policing in a city where power corrupts, highlighting teamwork and quick decision making over flashy gadgets. The story resists romantic notions of justice by emphasizing grit.