[Photo above taken from fight choreography rehearsals for Gareth Evans' The Raid.]
There has been a change of plans in the Merantau Films camp. Back in June word came out that the follow up film to Iko Uwais' star-making performance would be Berandal, a large scale prison gang movie intended to star not only Merantau stars Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian but also an additional pair of international fight stars. Well, while plans for Berandal are still moving ahead the scope and international nature of it have proven a bit more complex and time consuming than anticipated. So while the film is still in the cards director Gareth Evans and stars Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian have decided to fill the gap with something a little different.
Imagine this, if you will: Die Hard fused with Assault On Precinct 13 played out as a high octane martial arts picture. This is The Raid (Serbuan Maut) and that description above is just how I like to describe it. Here's how writer-director Gareth Evans does:
Fight choreography and early camera tests for The Raid are currently underway with an eye to launching full pre-production early in the new year for a spring shoot in Jakarta. LA based XYZ Films and Jakarta based PT Merantau Films are on board as executive producers.A swat team arrives at a rundown apartment block with a mission to remove its owner, a notorious drug lord named Tama. The building has never been raided before, never been touched by police. Seen as a no go zone it has since become a sanctuary to killers, gangs, rapists and thieves seeking accommodation in the one place they know they cannot be touched.
Making their move in the break of dawn the swat team work their way up the building under cover of silence. But when a chance encounter with a spotter blows their cover and with news of their assault traveling to Tama in his penthouse suite the building is locked down with all lights out and all exits blocked.
Stranded on the 6th floor the swat team must fight their way through every floor and every room not just to complete their mission but to survive.
In the interest of full disclosure, yes, I am a partner at XYZ Films and have had a minor hand in the development of this and will continue to be involved through the festival play and international marketing of it. I'll have a similar role on this as I had on Merantau, basically, though I'm involved earlier this time. That information doesn't make the kick pictured above any less impressive.
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This sounds excellent, but I hope they really go with the concept of a team approach rather than just Iko and a bunch of cannon-fodder who are wiped out at the first encounter. Either way I'll be in line for a ticket/import dvd...