So, I don't know how much there will be to this, but I feel like I need to write this out. I was chatting with a coworker about the recent Disney+ "special presentation" of Punisher: One Last Kill, a short film focused on Jon Bernthal's version of the Punisher. The film was a continuation, of sorts, to Bernthal's short-lived Netflix series The Punisher, all generally considered part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as a follow-up to his appearance in season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+.
One Last Kill largely dealt with Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) and his turbulent mind, coping with PTSD, survivor guilt, and his lack of purpose with the conclusion of his vendetta against the crime families that had been involved with his family's murders. But it built to a violent climax, as a survivor of his own rampage puts a bounty on his head and leaks his location to every psychopath in the neighborhood, leading to Frank having to fight his way out of his apartment building, defending some of his neighbors against the gangbangers coming for him, and ultimately starting to find his purpose again.
But my coworker and I ended up discussing that sequence in his apartment building, comparing it directly to The Raid, a 2011 Indonesian action movie. In The Raid, a SWAT Team from the Jakarta police infiltrate what amounts to a mob-held apartment building to arrest the mob boss inside, but end up having to fight for their lives when they're caught during the extraction, as the mob boss offers a bounty for every cop killed. The basic concept caught people's attention, not least because a very similar concept was seen in 2012's Dredd (which actually started production before The Raid).
That led to this thought-- I feel like the basic concept of The Raid is going to be one adapted in various settings, in much the same way that Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven were.
The base concept of the Seven Samurai has been adapted in a variety of media since its release. From comic books like Seven Soldiers of Victory, to repeated Star Wars adaptations (from comic books to the Clone Wars animated series to an episode of The Mandalorian), the idea is very adaptable to any situation where an isolated community (like a farming village) is plagued with troubles from an outside threat, and seeks assistance from a rag-tag group of heroes who teach the villagers how to defend themselves, exploring some of the character dynamics amongst the heroes and the villagers before culminating in a fight against the baddies.
It's a popular trope, and it's a pretty fun one, allowing for plenty of tweaks to the characters, and allows for the "establishing character moments" for each of the seven. There's a reason it's been successful. And it feels to me like The Raid could end up becoming a similar trope.
Key Plot Elements
These are the basic elements to the Raid plot that feel necessary to the trope:
The Hellhole - An apartment building or block that is home to criminal scum and desperate people, in a part of town where the police don’t go.
The Crimelord - A mob boss or gang leader or some other criminal kingpin that wields great influence in the Hellhole.
Crimelord’s Hands - The Crimelord’s lieutenants, they will be obstacles in some way. One of them is typically the Genius, being key to the Crimelord’s operations with their brilliance, and the other is the Mad Dog, the violent enforcer of the Crimelord’s will.
MacGuffin - There is something or someone in the Hellhole that needs to be extracted safely, but which the Crimelord will do anything to keep inside.
The Squad - A team going into the Hellhole to get the MacGuffin. Disparate personalities, maybe even clashes, but ultimately having one another’s back in the end.
Lockdown - The Hellhole is put on lockdown when the Squad is spotted or the MacGuffin’s absence/capture is discovered.
The Bounty - The Crimelord puts the hit out on the Squad, setting many dangerous thugs and desperate people against the Squad. (Technically optional, but it adds motivation for all the disparate enemies coming for the Squad.)
Vastly Outnumbered - Simply trying to fight off all the baddies is not an option for the Squad. The sheer weight of numbers and the deadly algebra of attrition will wear down the Squad. They must find a way out.
Brief Shelter - The Squad, after a few violent fights, briefly finds some kind of shelter, possibly from (reluctantly) sympathetic civilians living in the Hellhole.
False Rescue - The Squad manages to make contact with the authorities, but the “help” that comes is on the take with the Crimelord.
MacGuffin Lost - At some point in the plot, the MacGuffin ends up back in the Crimelord’s possession.
Fight Upward - The Squad stops being defensive and goes on the offense, fighting their way back up through the Hellhole to get to Crimelord and/or the MacGuffin.
Fight the Mad Dog - The Squad confronts the Crimelord’s Hands, especially going up against the Mad Dog, though it’s possible the Genius is also physically capable.
Crimelord’s Demise - The Crimelord, despite being confronted with the prospect of violence from the Squad, remains smugly confident and assured of their protection from their connections, but ultimately still gets taken down, usually fatally.
Lockdown Lifted - The authorities finally arrive with enough force for the Squad to leave the Hellhole without facing death.
What The Plot Is NOT
Despite having bounties in play, movies like The Running Man or the later John Wick films are not the same. Those were not contained to a Hellhole, and the heroes were often fighting their way across greater distances.
Possible Settings
The basis of a Raid plot can be adapted to any possible setting as well. Whether it’s a more straightforward homage in a modern-day setting, it could easily be adapted to a sort of cyberpunk-ish or dystopian future, or even to a superhero setting.
As I discussed with my coworker, The Raid could be adapted to fit in the Star Wars setting pretty easily, such as The Mandalorian or in some future series set during the Imperial Era or the early New Republic Era. Imagine Mando and his friends needing to grab some bounty from a Hellhole, only for a Hutt Crimelord to issue the bounty, leading to the fight out. Or a potential season 2 of Maul: Shadow Lord where Maul and his allies have to fight their way out of a Hellhole while facing Imperial presence or other enemies that Maul has to contend with.
As Punisher: One Last Kill shows, the Raid concept could also fit in a superhero setting, albeit largely for the street-level heroes. Whether it’s Punisher or the Defenders having to fight their way out of a Hellhole while dealing with psychos sicced on them by a conventional Crimelord or something like ninjas from the Hand, a Raid plot with heroes like Daredevil, Punisher, and so on would lead to plenty of violent “hallway fights” that street-level MCU series seem to love.
Conclusion
That’s about it. The notion of seeing The Raid’s plot being adapted in much the same way that Seven Samurai did across the years and the media feels appropriate. I hope it does see more adaptations and The Raid gets the recognition it deserves for roughly innovating it.
