Legendary Critic's Brutal 1-Star Review of Action Masterpiece
A celebrated film critic completely missed the mark on what many consider the decade's finest action film, dismissing a groundbreaking movie that would reshape Hollywood's approach to fight scenes forever.
Film critic Roger Ebert built his reputation on sharp insights and memorable reviews. But even legends stumble. His harsh assessment of 2012's The Raid: Redemption stands as one of his most questionable calls.
The Indonesian action film earned just one star from Ebert, who wrote dismissively about audiences who "require no dialogue, no plot, no characters, no humanity." He criticized the movie's fighters as having "no personality" and being "ruthless fighters without a brain in their heads."
Ebert's review missed something crucial. The film wasn't just mindless violence.
Where the Famous Critic Got It Wrong
The movie actually contained plenty of emotional depth. Early scenes showed hope when the SWAT team entered the building. That optimism crumbled as bodies piled up and innocent lives were lost.
Commander Jaka's death marked the story's emotional breaking point. Audiences felt trapped alongside the characters, experiencing genuine despair about escape possibilities.
Ebert questioned the "Redemption" in the title, claiming he saw none. The redemption belonged to Rama, played by Iko Uwais. One powerful scene showed Rama's anguish after killing an opponent in brutal fashion. The ending reinforced this theme when he chose family over vengeance, walking away to return home to his wife and child.
The critic complained that fights seemed "staged" to benefit the hero. That was exactly the point. The Raid's genius lay not in realism but in revolutionary cinematography.
How One Film Changed Action Movies Forever
Before The Raid, Hollywood obsessed over shaky camera work and rapid-fire editing. The Taken aesthetic dominated, hiding actual combat behind choppy cuts and blurred motion.
Director Gareth Evans changed everything. He used wide shots and smooth camera movements, fitting entire fights within single frames. Audiences could finally see every punch, kick, and throw clearly.
This approach directly influenced John Wick two years later. Director Chad Stahelski adopted similar steady camera techniques, showcasing fight choreography instead of hiding it. The Raid introduced Indonesian martial art Pencak Silat to global audiences, while John Wick blended Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Japanese techniques.
The connection runs deeper than style. Stahelski cast two Raid actors, Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman, as final assassins in John Wick: Chapter 3. Their climactic battle ended with mutual respect, acknowledging the performers who helped define modern action cinema.
The Raid earned 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.6/10 on IMDb. Despite a modest $9.1 million box office, its influence spread throughout Hollywood. Evans proved that audiences craved clarity over chaos in action sequences.