New Showbiz

You are here:
The Raid

The Raid

2012

R

Director

Gareth Evans

Runtime

101 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Deep in the heart of Jakarta's slums lies an impenetrable safe house for the world's most dangerous killers and gangsters. Until now, the run-down apartment block has been considered untouchable to even the bravest of police. Cloaked under the cover of pre-dawn darkness and silence, an elite swat team is tasked with raiding the safe house in order to take down the notorious drug lord that runs it. But when a chance encounter with a spotter blows their cover and news of their assault reaches the drug lord, the building's lights are cut and all the exits blocked. Stranded on the sixth floor with no way out, the unit must fight their way through the city's worst to survive their mission. Starring Indonesian martial arts sensation Iko Uwais.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

2.8/10

Limited

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film operates within a traditional heteronormative vacuum. There is no discernible presence of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities.

Gender Representation

Minimal

The narrative centers on a male-dominated SWAT unit and criminal hierarchy. Women are largely absent from primary kinetic sequences and lack meaningful agency.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Excellent

The production excels by centering an almost entirely Indonesian cast. It utilizes the cultural heritage of Pencak Silat to disrupt Western-centric action tropes.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The setting portrays a landscape of extreme socioeconomic disparity within a Jakarta slum. The narrative focuses on binary morality rather than systemic victimhood.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no visible or invisible disability representation. Physicality is framed strictly through the lens of peak athletic performance and combat readiness.

Strengths

  • Provides an authentic, non-Anglo-centric cinematic experience through an Indonesian cast.
  • Embraces specific cultural heritage by utilizing Pencak Silat martial arts.
  • Offers a deep sense of place by centering the narrative in a localized Jakarta slum.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks any discernible representation of LGBTQ+ identities or characters.
  • Features a near-total absence of female agency and meaningful female roles.
  • Provides no representation of disability within the core cast or character arcs.

AI Analysis

The Raid is a highly specialized work of genre cinema that prioritizes hyper-masculine survivalism. It achieves significant success through its cultural authenticity, utilizing Indonesian martial arts and a localized setting to provide a non-Anglo-centric experience. However, the film is structurally conservative regarding identity. It lacks intersectional representation, offering no presence of LGBTQ+ individuals or characters with disabilities. The gender dynamics are deeply traditional, centering male combatants while relegating women to the periphery. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its specific ethnic identity, even as it remains narrow in its social scope.

How are these scores produced? →

Featured in

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.