Carnage. That is one word summary of the film from Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto. Relentless action from start to finish, with bones breaking and people getting killed in the most creative ways, martial art extravaganza with tons of blood. So much blood. This film gives any slasher horror run for its money in terms of spilled blood. Who cares there are plot holes you could drive a semi through. There is a guy getting killed by a cow's femur.
The main protagonist Ito is one of the Six Seas, elite group of henchmen working for the Triad whose mission is to spread terror in their name. During one of these missions after killing bunch of unarmed villagers with only one little girl left alive soon to be shot as well. But here Ito has a change of heart and instead of killing the girl he kills all his men and decides to save the girl bringing the wrath of the Triad upon himself and everyone that tries to help him. Many took issue with this set up saying why this girl especially when we find out he has been massacring whole villages for the past three years. But why not a random girl? We have seen it many times in films like this, daughter, niece, best friends daughter, girl who helped him in the past, girl who reminds him of his dead daughter...This film boils it down to its basics. Just a girl that he needs to save, and as he says at one point, himself as well. A symbol, a reason to unleash the violence on the bad guys. The story is down to its bare bones, which many took issue with but which in my opinion was the intention. Most characters motivations are very simple, Tahig is just helping his friends, because that is what good friends do, White boy Bobby looks for redemption and the bad guys just want to kill them because they have been told to. The only little fleshed out character is Iko Uwais, but ultimately he just wants to prove himself against Ito. Then there are characters we do not even get an explanation as to who they are or what they interest in the little girl is like the motorcycle girl, in credits only called as the Operator. But she is badass without all that. The actress playing her is the Hammer girl from Raid 2. And what happened to Ito's girlfriend, major focus in the beginning and completely forgotten later.
In summary The night comes for us is the most action film this year, most violent, most bloody and most martial arty.
Review of The Night Comes for Us
