[Sundance Interview] Arifin Putra and Julie Estelle (The Raid 2: Berandal)

[Ruby Hornet will be at Sundance Film Festival 2014 providing coverage of the festival's 30th year. Keep it tuned to Ruby Hornet this week as we share reviews, interviews, photos, and more at one of the country's largest film festivals.]

The Raid 2: Berandal Cast

Header photo via Getty Images

Following my roundtable interview with The Raid 2: Berandal director Gareth EvansBerandal stars Arifin Putra (Ico) and Julie Estelle (Hammer Girl) sat down to chat with my group about the film. Despite the light-hearted conversation, we probed the actors about their experience on the film, specifically asking about their training regimens, comfortability working with Gareth, the long wait for Berandal to begin production, and much more. Of course, we threw some fun questions in there, like their favorite action films (spoiler: Kill Bill 2 isn't one of them).

As always, major spoilers for The Raid 2: Berandal are sprinkled throughout the interview, so read at your own expense. Enjoy!


[Sundance Interview] Gareth Evans (Director of The Raid 2: Berandal)

Gareth Evans

[Ruby Hornet will be at Sundance Film Festival 2014 providing coverage of the festival's 30th year. Keep it tuned to Ruby Hornet this week as we share reviews, interviews, photos, and more at one of the country's largest film festivals.]

It's no secret that I and the majority of the Ruby Hornet staff are huge fans of Gareth Evans' The Raid: Redemption. The sleeper hit made major waves across film communities with its unabashed love for martial arts and tight storytelling that complemented the action rather than took away from it. Redemption was the little film that could, making more than 20x its budget, as well as garnering very favorable reviews from critics. When The Raid 2: Berandal was announced, excitement over the expansion of the film ran high, with many salivating at the promise of "more," in all senses of the term (budget, runtime, characters, fight scenes, etc.). My review highly regarded Evans' second film of the franchise, Berandal representing everything right when it comes to a film sequel.

During Sundance, I had a chance to sit down the director himself alongside a few other esteemed film journalists as we racked his brain with questions ranging from how fight scenes were planned, the editing process for the film, his influences behind Berandal, and much more. If you were a huge fan of The Raid: Redemption and can't wait until The Raid 2: Berandal hits theaters next March, I highly recommend reading through the interview for more insight behind one of the year's most anticipated films. However, a word to the wise: there are Berandal spoilers, so be cautious!


[Review] The Raid 2: Berandal

[To commemorate the limited theatrical release of The Raid 2: Berandal, we are re-posting this review of the film from this year's Sundance Film Festival]

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The Raid 2: Berandal
Director: Gareth Evans
Rating: N/A

Release Date: January 21, 2014 (Sundance)

The Raid: Redemption practically came out of nowhere and introduced me to a new form of action films. From the completely visceral cinematography capturing every bone break and ounce of gushing blood to the introduction to pencak silat, a form of Indonesian martial art that is as brutal as it is beautiful to watch. Where The Raid: Redemption lacked in story and narrative, it more than made up for in immensely entertaining and awe-inspiring fight sequences. What made the film so successful is not the aforementioned fight scenes, but because of writer/director Gareth Evans' tight focus, with the film taking place almost exclusively inside one apartment building complex.

Following on the heels of RedemptionThe Raid 2: Berandal expands on the narrative, introducing audiences to the world outside of the Jakartan slums. Redemption's protagonist, Rama (Iko Uwais), turns to a senior officer to report on the events of Redemption and to take down the city's corruption once and for awhile. In order to do that, he's ordered to go undercover and infiltrate the ranks of one of the largest mob syndicates run by Bangun (Tio Pakusadewo) by befriending Bangun's son, Uco (Arifin Putra), in jail. Before long, tensions escalate into a gang war in which nobody is safe.

The Raid 2

The plot of Berandal can be a bit confusing and overwhelming, especially for those who haven't seen Redemption yet. Where Redemption thrived in its small scale, Berandal grows the universe and storyline exponentially, introducing a myriad cast of characters. Once past the early confusion, however, the film finds its narrative stride as Rama navigates the criminal underworld. The themes are endless in Berandal, with father/son dynamics, revenge, and redemption being the most noticeable themes purveying the film. Evans' writing in Berandal is sound; whereas I had my concerns that such a large expansion would muddle the overall film, those thoughts were quickly erased in the film's first act. While Rama is the center of the action, Uco is the center of the drama, and Putra's performance is enough to sustain the plot in between fights. Most action films leave audiences just wishing for the story-driven scenes to hurry up; Berandal never lets the tension go, whether it's in the form of a fight or a plot-driven sequence; needless to say, the pacing is spot-on and near perfection. However, in saying that, the film's true bread and butter is in the action scenes. 

Simply put: WOW. I don't know how Evans and his team of choreographers did it, but literally every action sequence has at least one moment where you can't help but drop your jaw in awe, surprise, excitement, entertainment, disbelief, fright, happiness, etc. I don't want to spoil anything too specific, but Berandal features one of the greatest car sequences you'll ever see in a film. If you thought you saw it all in Redemption, wait until you see Berandal; much like how the plot is expanded upon in the sequel, so too are the fight sequences.  They're visceral, desperate, entertaining, and above all else, as brutal as you can imagine. With a shaky cam, each attack is accentuated with a camera shift, each throw is met with a tumble, etc., proving just how well the cinematography complemented the fights. It can be dizzying at first, but it just adds to the entire experience. The fight sequences become more nuanced and elaborate as the film goes on; there's also an evocation of classic video games (Mega Man comes to mind) where Rama will rush through grunts, meet somebody with a sense of a challenge, then finally ends with a pseudo-boss fight.

If you loved The Raid: Redemption, you're going to find yourself enamored with The Raid 2: Berandal. It's bigger, better, and more badass in every way possible, just like every successful sequel should be. Words simply won't do this film justice. Watch Berandal the first chance you get - you can thank me later. While it may be too early to tell, the The Raid franchise just might be the next greatest action film franchise... so long as Evans and his team stay on board.


Sundance 2014

[Sundance] Sundance Film Festival 2014 Recap

[Ruby Hornet will be at Sundance Film Festival 2014 providing coverage of the festival's 30th year. Keep it tuned to Ruby Hornet this week as we share reviews, interviews, photos, and more at one of the country's largest film festivals.]

We came. We saw. We conquered. Ruby Hornet's first trip to the Sundance Film Festival was... interesting, to say the least. After almost a decade of dreaming about attending the prestigious festival, I finally got my chance to have the Sundance experience. It wasn't everything I thought it would be, but for every misstep, there was a silver lining found in the assortment of films playing over the festival's duration. Considering the amount of films playing, with many of them having their world premieres at the festival, there was something to love for all film fanatics. With over a dozen of film reviews, a couple of interviews, and a slew of photos and other assorted shenanigans, I'd say Ruby Hornet had a solid maiden voyage to Park City, UT. In case you missed everything over the past couple of weeks, check out all of our Sundance-related coverage below.

REVIEWS

[Sundance Review] Camp X-Ray
[Sundance Review] Boyhood
[Sundance Review] God's Pocket
[Sundance Review] The Skeleton Twins
[Sundance Review] Cooties
[Sundance Review] The Raid 2: Berandal
[Sundance Review] To Kill a Man (Matar a un hombre)
[Sundance Review] Infinitely Polar Bear
[Sundance Review] Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
[Sundance Review] Wish I Was Here
[Sundance Review] Life After Beth
[Sundance Review] White Bird in a Blizzard
[Sundance Review] White Shadow

INTERVIEWS

[Sundance Interview] Gareth Evans (Director of The Raid 2: Berandal)
[Sundance Interview] Arifin Putra and Julie Estelle (The Raid 2: Berandal)

EVERYTHING ELSE

Tintype Photographs of Celebrities at Sundance
[Sundance Video] The Raid 2: Berandal Q&A, Iko Uwais pencak silat demonstration
Sundance Film Festival 2014 Award Winners
[RH Photos] Sundance Film Festival 2014


[Sundance Review] White Shadow

[Ruby Hornet will be at Sundance Film Festival 2014 providing coverage of the festival's 30th year. Keep it tuned to Ruby Hornet this week as we share reviews, interviews, photos, and more at one of the country's largest film festivals.]

White Shadow
Director: Noaz Deshe
Rating: N/A
Release Date: January 17, 2014 (Sundance)

After witnessing the brutal murder of his father, Alias is sent off by his mother to live with his uncle, Kosmos, in the city away from their small shanty town. While he hustles drivers at busy intersections to buy various wares and technological parts, Alias faces torment from those around him due to his albinism. As Kosmos faces problems of his own, Alias finds a safe place to stay in a special home for albino children... until the unthinkable happens.

White Shadow deals with the rise in albino murders in Tanzania where witch doctors would pay large amounts of money for albino limbs due to their "magical powers." The film isn't some counter-active, social commentary on the practice; rather, it paints a fictional narrative around the unfortunate realities that Tanzanian albinos face.

White Shadow

The main problem I had with White Shadow was how it lacked direction for the majority of the film. The beginning of the film is a whirlwind of confusion, the middle begins to take form while still being intercut with flashbacks (flash forwards? side flashes?), and the final act throws it all together in an intensely violent rush. However, as gripping as the final act is, it's not enough to make up for the confusion and slow moving of the first two acts.

The subplot involving Alias and Kosmos that made up the majority of the film began to gather steam, only to be displaced by Kosmos' own narrative arc. In a way, the two are intertwined, both narratively and thematically, as they both face an unsure future as wanted men - Alias for his albinism, Kosmos for his debt. It's a compelling duality that represents something deeper that the film could have latched on to if only it were a bit more focused and refined. As it stands, however, White Shadow is simply a shadow of what it could have ultimately been.


Main Street - Park City, UT Sundance 2014 By Virgil Solis

[RH Photos] Sundance Film Festival 2014

[Ruby Hornet will be at Sundance Film Festival 2014 providing coverage of the festival's 30th year. Keep it tuned to Ruby Hornet this week as we share reviews, interviews, photos, and more at one of the country's largest film festivals.]

As one of the largest film festivals in North America, Sundance carries a sense of respect and legacy with its name. Beyond the amazing films screening during its duration, the town in which it's set, Park City, UT, becomes just as important as the films themselves. Considering it was our first time at both Sundance and Park City, Virgil and I took in as many sights as we could during our week-long stay. We lucked out, too, as a few select Olympics qualifying rounds took place the weekend we were there.

Check out some of Virgil's amazing photos from Sundance Film Festival 2014 below!


Sundance Film Festival 2014 Award Winners

[Ruby Hornet will be at Sundance Film Festival 2014 providing coverage of the festival's 30th year. Keep it tuned to Ruby Hornet this week as we share reviews, interviews, photos, and more at one of the country's largest film festivals.]

Photo by Calvin Knight

Sundance Film Festival 2014 came and went like a flash. With over 100 films playing during the festival, many of which consisted of world premieres, it's hard to catch every single one. It was hard for myself to catch the dozen or so films I was able to cover, but I can't even imagine how hard it was for the juries to watch dozens of films competing in the U.S. Dramatic and Documentary Competitions, as well as the World Dramatic and Documentary Competitions. Then, of course, the categories get broken down even more amongst the other awards, including Audience Awards and recognition in directing, editing, cinematography, etc.

The festival's US Dramatic Award (and US Dramatic Audience Award) went to Whiplash, written and directed by Damien Chazelle, a dramatic film about a young drummer intent on becoming one of the best jazz drummers. The film's two stars, Miles Teller (The Spectacular Now) and J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man), received high praise for their roles. The World Dramatic Award went to To Kill a Man, which I found favorably well. Other special recognition awards include a Special Jury Award for Musical Score for Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for The Skeleton Twins.

You can find the full list of winners below.

U. S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic Whiplash
U. S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary Rich Hill
World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic To Kill a Man
World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary Return to Homs

Audience Award: U. S. Dramatic presented by Acura Whiplash
Audience Award: U.S. Documentary presented by Acura Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory
Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic Difret
Audience Award: World Cinema: Documentary The Green Prince
Audience Award: Best of NEXT Imperial Dreams

Directing Award: U. S. Dramatic Fishing Without Nets / Cutter Hodierne
Directing Award: U. S. Documentary The Case Against 8 / Ben Cotner & Ryan White
Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic 52 Tuesdays / Sophie Hyde
Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary 20,000 Days on Earth / Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard

Cinematography Award: U. S. Dramatic Low Down / Christopher Blauvelt
Cinematography Award: U. S. Documentary E-TEAM / Ross Kauffman & Rachel Beth Anderson
Cinematography Award: World Cinema Dramatic Lilting / Ula Pontikos
Cinematography Award: World Cinema Documentary Happiness / Thomas Balmès & Nina Bernfeld

U. S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent Dear White People / Justin Simien
U. S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter / The Octopus Project
U. S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Intuitive Filmmaking The Overnighters
U. S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Use of Animation Watchers of the Sky
World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Performance God Help the Girl
World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematic Bravery We Come as Friends

Editing Award: U. S. Documentary Watchers of the Sky
Editing Award: World Cinema Documentary 20,000 Days on Earth

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic The Skeleton Twins / Craig Johnson & Mark Heyman
Screenwriting Award: World Cinema Dramatic Blind / Eskil Vogt
Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize I Origins

Short Film Grand Jury Prize Of God and Dogs
Short Film Jury Award: US Fiction Gregory Go Boom
Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction The Cut
Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction I Think This is the Closest to How the Footage Looked
Short Film Jury Award: Animation Yearbook
Short Film Special Jury Award for Unique Vision Rat Pack Rat
Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction Love. Love. Love.
Short Film Special Jury Award for Direction and Ensemble Acting Burger
Short Film Audience Award, Presented by YouTube Chapel Perilous


[Sundance Review] Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

[Ruby Hornet will be at Sundance Film Festival 2014 providing coverage of the festival's 30th year. Keep it tuned to Ruby Hornet this week as we share reviews, interviews, photos, and more at one of the country's largest film festivals.]

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
Directors: David Zellner
Rating: N/A

Release Date: January 20, 2014 (Sundance)

Films affect us in the most mysterious ways. For some, we find inspiration and influence in the art form. For others, we're absorbed into the universe and fall in love with the romantic notions of a cinematic life. There's no denying the effect art has on our everyday lives, but we can't succumb into the fictional universes infiltrating our minds. Exactly how far can we allow films to affect us?

Kumiko (Rinko Kinkuchi) is a loner with no real direction in life. While the rest of her co-workers genuinely love their positions as office workers, she doesn't find the same joy out of the monotony of her day-to-day life. Even her Mother constantly rains doubt onto her, badgering Kumiko about her lack of drive and interest in marrying and starting a family. There are only two beams of light in Kumiko's life: her bunny, Bunzo, and a delusional plan to unearth the buried treasure in The Coen Brothers' Fargo. Exactly how far Kumiko lets her delusions take over could represent the turning point she desperately needs in her life, no matter the ramifications.

Kumiko the Treasure Hunter

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is set up as a road film, with the first half of the film taking place in Japan and the second taking place in Minnesota. The main source of conflict in the film harkens to the ideals of the Japanese social structure and how Kumiko simply doesn't fit into it. The rigors of finding a good job, a good husband, and beginning a family at a young age carry over Kumiko's head like an unrelenting raincloud. She finds her escape through the Coen Brothers classic, both figuratively and literally, ultimately falling down the rabbit's hole on a journey that, for better or worse, is heartbreaking in how delusional her psyche really is. Kinkuchi, best known for her role as Mako Mori in last year's Pacific Rim, deftly carries the weight of the film on her shoulders, her physical and emotional vulnerability complementing her character's.

Another high point of Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is not found in the film's plot or acting, but in its soundtrack. Indie/electronic band The Octopus Project scored the film with its airy, atmospheric music matching Kumiko's quiet journey from Japan to Minnesota. The film received a Jury Award for their Musical Score, and it's not hard to see why.

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is a sad character study. Every break in which you expect to find Kumiko snap out from her fantasy world is shattered whenever she makes a self-assured decision to continue on her journey. Yet, in spite of acknowledging that the journey won't end well, you can't help but cheer her on and hope that somehow, someway, there really is a treasure underneath that X.