Iko Uwais

Appealing both to a new generation of viewers and fans of the series since the beginning, this 30-years-later sequel to 1983's Return of the Jedi is a thrilling adventure. Filmmaker J.J. Abrams has managed to capture the tone of the original trilogy while telling a story about young, vibrant new characters whose connection to the overall saga deepens intriguingly as events unfurl.

Over the past three decades, the Empire has regrouped, forming the First Order to crush the Old Republic for good. And the plucky Rebellion hasn't offered much resistance since leader Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) disappeared. The Empire's top henchman Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is searching for him just as diligently as the rebel leader General Leia (Carrie Fisher). But the real action is happening out of their grasp, as disaffected storm trooper Finn (John Boyega) teams up with rebel pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac) and then feisty scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) and expressive droid BB-8. Along the way, Han Solo and Chewbacca (Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew) find themselves back in the fray. And everyone is startled when there's a strong stirring in the force.

Abrams beautifully recreates the scruffy, clanky mechanical atmosphere of the original trilogy, infusing scenes with witty banter and John William's soaring score to throw us right back into that familiar galaxy. This includes the saga's main themes: the temptation of power, how true heroism is often accidental, and the tension between parents and children. Combine this with a plot that propels itself with a series of unexpected adventures and battles, all centred on the characters, and the film taps strongly into the teen in all of us.

Continue reading: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Review

After the linear kick of 2011's surprise Indonesian hit The Raid, Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans is back with an epic-style sequel that sags under the weight of its ambitions. Indulgent both in its storytelling and in each set-piece, this two-and-a-half hour thriller owes more to Hong Kong classic Infernal Affairs than to The Raid. But even as it wears us out, its expertly staged fight scenes keep us entertained.

Immediately after that original raid, young Jakarta cop Rama (Iko Uwais) is recruited by his boss (Cok Simbara) to infiltrate the local mafia. This requires Rama to go to prison for two years to protect fellow inmate Uco (Arifin Putra), earning the trust of Uco's father, the fearsome mob boss Bangun (Tio Pakusodewo). When they're released, Rama joins the family firm. But Uco is impatient to inherit the empire, and secretly plots with wildcard thug Bejo (Alex Abbad) to spark a turf war with the Japanese gangster Goto (Ken'ichi Endo).

Evans tells this story as a sprawling mass of talky plotting and outrageous fight scenes, as Rama works his way into the mob and then has to clean up the increasingly nasty mess. Each brawl is more frenzied than the one before it, and we can't help but laugh each time Rama turns a corner and confronts the next thug (or gang of them) in his way. Highlights include a frankly insane car chase, the climactic kitchen battle and two specialised baddies: a hammer-swinging deaf girl (Julie Estelle) and a skater-dude (Very Tri Yulisman) with a metal baseball bat.

Continue reading: The Raid 2 Review

Rookie cop Rama (Uwais) kisses his pregnant wife goodbye and heads out for an intense day at work. The team is raiding a run-down tower block to capture vicious mobster Tama (Sahetapy). Led by tough-guy Jaka (Taslim), they aren't remotely ready for what happens next, as Tama offers the building's residents free rent for life if they kill the cops before they reach the 15th floor.

Full-on war ensues, and soon there are only a handful of police officers left.

Continue reading: The Raid Review