The first one was so bad ***. Can't wait to see part 2 as I've heard nothing but good things about it.
Totally different level. The first is primarily action with a simple story. I have one friend who loved it, but liked the first one better, the length he was saying was a little too long, i.e. 2 and a half hours. I thought the movie never should have ended and pretty much everybody else I know agreed.
The story gets more complex in this one, character development is much better. Acting is really good as well, delivery of dialogue and the like. It is so well paced. The story is crazy, crime gang film and the musical score, especially when the last fight which probably goes down as the greatest martial arts action fight in history, is off the wall. The score paces this fight in particular so well, and by the time the conclusion of the score starts, I was getting out of my seat yelling oohs and ahhs, mind blown.. I've seen Donnie Yen, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Sammy Hung, Tony Jaa.. The car chase scene as well belongs in the epic category.
It's really a crime, gang film. It's not even close with respect to any action movie out there. It's actually changed the face of action movies forever.
They actually are doing Raid 3 and starting soon. Tony Jaa is actually slated to be in as well, i.e. it's official. I have a feeling he's going to be the 'main' villain as in fighting villain. He won't have a lot of words. The premise of the film starts during Raid 2. I didn't know how they were going to top Raid, but the director did it. Now there is Raid 3. If he tops Raid 2, I think I'll literally explode after watching the movie.