Most action movies spend at least some time on plot, character and dialogue. Not The Raid, which features nonstop breathtaking combat from beginning to end. In Jakarta, Rama (Iko Uwais) is part of an elite police squad sent to clean out a 15-storey tower block where the only law is that of crime lord Tama (Ray Sahetapy), whose hideout is on the top floor. The officers storm the building and begin to take each level by (impressively brutal) force. But by the time they reach the sixth floor ,Tama has marshalled his huge army of henchmen, and the trapped, outnumbered cops begin a desperate battle for survival. With its claustrophobic atmosphere, episodic structure and inventive scenes of violence, the film is heavily influenced by John Woo, Die Hard and John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 (even emulating that film's soundtrack), as well as any number of shoot-'em-up video games. But Welsh director Gareth Evans has gone a step further, distilling the action movie down to its barest essentials, to intense and immensely satisfying effect. Uwais makes a fantastic lead, his deceptively sweet appearance masking some awe-inspiring martial arts skills. And the fight scenes are stunningly choreographed and edited, often leaving you feeling as if you, too, have been through the wringer. The plot is predictable, and there certainly isn't much in the way of characterisation, but such niceties are not the point of the film: this is an exercise in pure, exhilarating action and, as such, it succeeds on every level.