“The Raid: Redemption”
This ultra-violent story of a special tactical team’s ill-fated raid on a high-rise run by a crime boss is the best battle in a building since Bruce Willis blasted his way through “Die Hard.” Compare the violence in the two movies and “Die Hard” comes across like an evening in a luxury suite.
This isn’t the kind of movie where you expect anything more than a superficial story line and stereotypical characters. Rama (Iko Uwais) is a rookie cop who is about to become a father. He’s assigned to a team invading a tenement and has to deal with a personal mission along the way.
Plot and character development are beaten out of existence because it’s all about the action. There’s never a dull moment.
Grade: B
“Dexter: The Sixth Season”
The cable series starring Michael C. Hall gets better with each season because of brilliant writing and the convincing performance by Hall as a serial killer who works in a Miami police department. The cliffhanger at the end will make you want to subscribe to Showtime just to see what happens in the next season.
As always, Dexter’s killing rivals, played by Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos, are solid and that makes for an engaging game of cat-and-killer mouse.
Grade: B+
Also out
• “Jaws”: The Steven Spielberg film is now on Blu-ray.
• “Titanic: 100 Years in 3D”: Combines 3-D imagery of the wreck with stories of passengers and crew.
• “Glee: The Complete Third Season”: Chris Colfer stars.
• “Stallone Collection”: Includes “Rambo: First Blood,” “Cop Land” and “Lock Up.”
• “Community: The Complete Third Season”: Bonus material includes “A Glee-ful Community Christmas” feature.
Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)
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