20 Greatest Direct Sequels Ever Made

11. The Raid 2

Back To The Future II
Sony Pictures Classics

It would have been easy for Gareth Evans to simply make a by-the-numbers sequel to The Raid, transporting the single-setting formula to a different location and just rehashing the first movie. Instead, the Welsh director crafts a complex and wildly ambitious follow-up that aims to be The Godfather Part II of kicking people in the face. While it doesn't quite come that close, it isn't too far off either.

A martial arts movie, action flick and crime saga all rolled into one, The Raid 2's plot can often be unnecessarily complicated but let's be honest, nobody came here for the story. On the action front, it is stylish, impeccably-choreographed and often jaw-dropping, with Evans' symphony of almost-balletic violence reinforcing his reputation as one of the best action directors working today.

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