As the March 23rd release date rapidly nears for The Raid, the most buzzed about action movie in years, the film has received not only a brand spanking new US trailer, but also an apparent name change. Now known as The Raid: Redemption, it's not a sequel or spinoff to Gareth Evans' silat masterpiece which has had fans salivating since it premiered last year. When I saw it at Sundance(my review here), I joined the chorus of those singing it's praises, but it'll be interesting to see what all that good will buys it at the box office.
So why the name change? Well there are two reasons. For one, Evans and martial arts superstar Iko Uwais are already hard at work on the sequel, tentatively titled Berandal. Also, they probably want to get some separation from the English language remake Screen Gems is currently prepping.
The latest trailer sets up the simple plot and breakneck pace perfectly. In the heart of Jakarta, the city's most dangerous drug lord sees his impregnable, heavily armed stronghold invaded by an elite SWAT team, who have no idea what they are in for. It's the most intense 30 levels of punching, kicking, and wild shoot outs that you're likely to see this year or any year, and it's just the first part of Evans planned trilogy. Take a deep breath and check out the new trailer below....
