A 300 Film Challenge: Film #8

 The Raid (2011) 101mins

NEW TO ME COUNT: 6

SEEN IT COUNT: 2

Another one for the 'Seen It' count, I first watched The Raid around 10 years ago not long after its original release, but haven't revisited it since. This Indonesian language film follows Rama, a rookie cop who is part of a special forces team tasked with raiding an apartment block housing notorious crime lord Tama Riyadi. The film is well regarded for its fast pace and relentless action scenes which showcase the Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat, and all directed somewhat surprisingly by Welshman Gareth Evans. As events progress we soon learn that the raid hasn't actually been officially sanctioned, and that there may be ulterior motives in play not just for the Lieutenant in command, but also for Rama himself...

It was fun to go back to The Raid after so long as the film truly is an almost non-stop thrill ride, packed with outrageous fights utilising all manner of weapons as well as some killer bare fist fighting. The choreography is exquisite and often leaves you genuinely stunned, mesmerised by the timing and precision involved to pull it all off. There are a few breaks in the action peppered throughout to allow us to catch our breath briefly, particularly when a kind hearted resident of the block provides some shelter and a few choice words of advice to Rama and the team. 

Ultimately though the story here is fairly slight and does take a backseat to the action. There are some rather extreme moments that had me wincing slightly; viewer discretion is definitely advised here and not for the faint of heart! The film knows the audience it is targeting and is not afraid to throw everything at the wall to provide the ultimate version of what it wants to be. The sequel, which I haven't seen, is on my list!

8/10

A 300 Film Challenge: Film #2

 Tom & Jerry (2021) 101mins

NEW TO ME COUNT: 2

SEEN IT COUNT: 0

Had this on my watch list for a little while now, being a big fan of the original cartoons since I was a (smaller!) kid. The latest attempt to bring iconic cartoon characters into the real world with a mixture of animation and live-action filming sees Tom and Jerry placed alongside Chloë Grace Moretz, Rob Delaney and Michael Peña for a comedic romp.

The animation style is much more cartoony than other contemporary examples such as Paddington or The Smurfs, with 3D/CGI modelling that endeavours to maintain a classic, silky, pen and ink 2D look. As such, the personalities of Tom and Jerry absolutely transition over to this film; pleasingly, they look and feel exactly like the characters we all remember, and some great homages to classic moments and gags from the original cartoons show the love that has gone into recreating the duo.

Unfortunately the novelty does wear off before the halfway mark. Tom and Jerry wisely remain silent characters but the story seems rather confused, with the main human protagonist teaming up with Tom to get rid of Jerry, meaning the viewer seemingly is asked to root for Tom whilst knowing he is the traditional villain of the two. By the time everyone puts their differences aside to resolve the plot (a wedding between two celebrity influencers), I had grown weary of caring about the outcome. There's some fun to be had here, but it does overstay its welcome.

4/10