The Raid duology comprises two of the best and bloodiest action movies ever made. Written and directed by Gareth Edwards, The Raid (or The Raid: Redemption to international audiences) and The Raid 2: Berandal brought acclaim and attention to Indonesia's film industry. Even in light of new trendsetters like the John Wick series, The Raid continues to be a gold standard against which modern fights and displays of martial arts are measured.

Even more than a decade since the release of its last film, The Raid's fight scenes are still more impressive than most modern action movies when it comes to brutality, gore and relentlessness. Few franchises rival the series in this regard, which is why it has earned such a cult following over the years.

10 The Opening Prison Brawl Cements Raid 2's Tone

The Raid 2: Berandal

The Raid 2: Berandal was an even bigger release than its predecessor, and nowhere is this escalation made more clear than in the opening brawl between two rival gangs. The brawl breaks out when the film's protagonist, Rama, saves Uco, the son of a crimelord, from an assassination attempt.

This opening riot is the clearest sign that The Raid 2: Berandal was fully prepared to step out of The Raid's shadow. Instead of claustrophobic rooms or hallways where a couple of fighters traded blows, the fights now had multiple groups battling each other in larger, more open terrain. This particular fight takes place in a muddy courtyard, making the already intense fight grimier and more visceral.

9 Prakoso's Final Stand Highlights Yayan Ruhian's Acting Prowess

The Raid 2: Berandal

In The Raid, Yayan Ruhian plays Mad Dog, the film's charismatic underdog. Unfortunately, Mad Dog dies during the conclusion of the first film, preventing him from returning in the sequel. Fortunately, The Raid 2: Berandal cast Ruhian as Prakoso, giving him the chance to star in the franchise once again.

Prakoso is a talented assassin, but when he rejects Uco's offer to join his coup, Uco sicks a horde of thugs onto him. Prakoso comes out on top, but only after a bloody one-man stand that leaves him weak and vulnerable for The Assassin to kill him. Still, regardless of Prakoso's ultimate fate, the fight's stellar choreography and use of the nightclub's physical space lead to some of the most impressive kills in The Raid franchise.

8 Rama Proves Himself in the Hallway Brawl First Hallway Fight

The Raid

When Rama joins the drug raid that opens The Raid, he is just a rookie cop on his first major mission. It is only when his entire squad is killed and when everyone runs out of bullets that Rama proves himself. Nowhere is this more obvious than when he drags his injured superior officer, Sgt. Jaka, to safety while protecting him from a mob of attackers in a hallway.

Rama's hallway brawl was the first time he got a fight all to himself. Rama proved his mettle and fighting prowess by fending off his attackers with (mostly) nonlethal techniques, all the while keeping Jaka alive. Although this fight pales in comparison to the bloodshed Rama causes later, the stakes on his way to Room 726 are immediately high and personal.

7 Rama’s Fight Against the Machete Gang Is His Point of No Return

The Raid

Mere seconds after he leaves an injured Jaka in the care of Gofar, Rama is attacked by the Machete Gang. What ensues is another hallway fight; however, this fight features a variety of floor levels, terrains, and deadly weapons. More importantly, this is the fight where Rama's kills become more violent and visceral.

Instead of simply punching or kicking and using a combat knife and baton, Rama fights with whatever is around him. This included stabbing an opponent with a broken door frame, slamming another's spine on a concrete wall, and spearing the gang leader out of a window. Rama's desperation to survive and feral instincts never left him after this fight.

6 Jaka’s Final Fight Establishes Mad Dog as a Threat

The Raid

Mad Dog is introduced as Tama Riyadi's top enforcer, but he only shows why he earned such a high position midway through The Raid. After cornering Jaka at gunpoint, Mad Dog escorts him to an empty room. There, Mad Dog disassembles his gun and fights Jaka with nothing but his hands and legs. This fight established just how dangerous he really was.

Just because Mad Dog and Jaka's fight doesn't involve weapons doesn't make it any less dangerous. In fact, it is one of The Raid's most brutal fights. Mad Dog's addiction to the thrill he gets from fighting and his expertise in martial arts makes him the single deadliest person in Tama's apartment complex. This is just the first taste of Ruhian's skills audiences get in The Raid.

5 Baseball Bat Man & Hammer Girl Make an Unforgettable Entrance

The Raid 2: Berandal

One way The Raid 2: Berandal improved its already amazing predecessor was by adding more iconic fighters. Case in point, the siblings Baseball Bat Man and Hammer Girl. They were introduced alongside The Assassin as Bejo's top killers. If The Assassin was introduced by killing Prakoso, Baseball Bat Man and Hammer Girl got their debuts through murderous montages.

Baseball Bat Man attacked a Yakuza meeting in a warehouse, while Hammer Girl assassinated a Yakuza officer in the subway. Each killing spree was well-shot and performed. More importantly, the siblings established how dangerous they were through the creative and deadly ways they used their seemingly innocuous weapons. This montage was The Raid's best character introduction.

4 Rama’s Fight in the Car & Eka’s Car Chase Is the Franchise's Most Technically Impressive Fight

The Raid 2: Berandal

Following his defeat at The Assassin's hands, Rama was put in a car with Uco's soldiers, who would execute him in a remote location. But before they could get out of the city, Eka attacked the gang's convoy with his car. Rama used the distraction to break free and fight his captors, while Eka followed as he was being pursued by armed gangsters in cars and motorcycles.

The Raid 2: Berandal's car chase was a combination of a close-quarters brawl in a cramped car, and a kinetic highway shootout. Even today, the full fight continues to blow audiences' and filmmakers' minds away. The amount of effort put into the stunts and filming was something to behold, and some of the best action direction and filmmaking ever seen.

3 Rama Defeats Two of Raid's Most Iconic Fighters

The Raid 2: Berandal

After Baseball Bat Man and Hammer Girl made an unforgettable entrance, it was obvious that Rama would fight them at some point. But instead of fighting them one by one, Rama fought Baseball Bat Man and Hammer Girl at the same time. Specifically, Rama fought them when he fought his way to the top of the restaurant where Uco and Bejo were.

Seeing Baseball Bat Man and Hammer Girl use their unique fighting styles and weapons against Rama's martial arts was a blast. This fight's seamless choreography alone is reason enough to watch it, but the editing's intensity and the brawl's non-stop creativity made it even better. This was undoubtedly The Raid's most original and creative fight to date.

2 Rama & Andi's Battle with Mad Dog Is the Highlight of the First Film

The Raid

The Raid's shining moment was undoubtedly Mad Dog's fight against Rama and his brother and Tama's subordinate, Andi. Besides the fact that it was incredibly intense and how Mad Dog famously started it by wordlessly giving the brothers a fair start, what really made this fight stellar was how well it complemented the fighters' arcs.

Mad Dog got the fair fight against skilled enemies he always wanted, Andi completed his redemption by fighting alongside his brother, and Rama reaffirmed his sense of justice by killing Tama's top enforcer. There was no better way to finish The Raid's story than with this ending fight. The "worst" thing about it is that it was overshadowed by most of the sequel's fights.

1 Rama's Duel with The Assassin Provides the Perfect End to the Series

The Raid 2: Berandal

The Assassin was arguably the most dangerous killer in the cult classic The Raid movies. He was a ruthless killer whose proficiency in martial arts were second only to his use of his signature twin serrated karambits. After dominating Rama in their first fight in Bangun's office, they had a proper rematch in a kitchen. Their fight became the stuff of action movie legend.

Rama and The Assassin's duel started with the two fighters trading blows before escalating into a bloody battle that used everything in the kitchen. This included wine bottles, kitchenware, glass panes, and finally, The Assassin's karambits. Clocking in at almost seven minutes, Rama and The Assassin's fight was the longest duel in The Raid, and the perfect high note to end the series on.