DVD reviews: The Raid | The Angels’ Share

THE Scotsman’s film critic Alistair Harkness casts his eye over the latest DVD releases.
By ALISTAIR HARKNESS
Published 24th Sep 2012, 01:00 BST

The Raid

Momentum, £17.99

NOW that we’re moving into the last few months of 2012, it’s pretty safe to say that no film is going to top The Raid this year for delivering breathlessly orchestrated action. Welsh director Gareth Evans’ low-budget, Indonesian-produced fight flick may not pretend to be anything other than a kill-crazy martial arts movie, but it’s an inventively made, intensely realised kill-crazy martial arts movie. What really makes it special, though, is that it possesses the kind of genuine gonzo energy that genre cinema permits but rarely delivers. With Indonesia very much the punky upstarts in the Asian action arena, Evans makes a virtue of the budget limitations and lack of production values and puts all the juice on screen via a series of incrementally more violent and brutal set-pieces that he pieces together with just enough narrative momentum to keep us involved in the plight of his virtuous rookie cop hero (played by Iko Uwais) as he attempts to fight his way out of a gang-ruled high-rise. Cult status is already assured – as evidenced by DVD extras featuring some amusing (and very well made) fan films, including one in which the The Raid’s bloody action scenes are recreated using Claymation cats.

The Angels’ Share

EOne, £19.99

A feeble blend of hard-hitting social realism and cringe-inducing whimsy, Ken Loach’s latest Scottish drama may score some points for offering a positive message about second chances, but anything of worth it has to say is delivered in such a schematic and condescending way that only the film’s wilful amateurism distinguishes it from being just another feel-good, Hollywood-influenced Britcom. As the film sets up its story of a violent young offender (newcomer Paul Brannigan) who discovers he has a talent for appreciating fine whisky, predictably gritty scenes of Glaswegian misery give way to an equally patronising and twee view of the Highlands as Robbie (Brannigan) and his community payback pals decide to get rich by hitchhiking up north to steal a rare bottle of whisky. Loach’s exalted reputation has certainly encouraged a lot of critical indulgence of late, but this really isn’t very good, with his flawed belief that non-actors in speaking roles automatically adds authenticity frequently reducing The Angels’ Share to the level of a scripted reality 
TV show.

• To order these DVDs, call The Scotsman on 01634 832789