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When director Timo Tjahjanto’s The Night Comes for Us was initially released on Netflix back in 2018, I unfortunately missed out on a review probably due to life getting in the way like it always seemed to do but with the film getting 2nd life at this past weekend’s Big Bad Film Fest Reloaded, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to finally put my thoughts on the website as this was something else. Tjahanto’s merciless film which perfectly blended next level action design with horror movie worthy gore was a rare enigma as it executed to near perfection pretty much everything action fans could want in a film. First, it contained one hell of a cast that included The Raid’s Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais as well as international action mainstays Sunny Pang, and Julie Estelle with the latter also appearing in The Raid 2.
I hadn’t seen this movie since it initially came out, so I revisited this weekend as to chat it up for the festival. I mean what can you say about this film that probably hasn’t already been said? Taslim is front and center this time around switching starring roles with Uwais who is now the supporting player and in the running time, Taslim assembles all his signature skills in an unrelenting bloodbath that will make the squeamish head for the hills within minutes of the movie starting. Taslim stars as Ito, who is the quintessential anti-hero, and a gangland enforcer who just happens to be mixed up between honoring his previous blood-soaked life working for the Triad and now, serving as a protector to a young girl and trying to shield her from an untimely death.
This plot thread has been done more times than I can count (and I can count high the last time I checked) but with Tjahjanto behind the camera and the sick talent in front of it, this is heroic bloodshed that John Woo would be proud of. A true savage master class on how to deliver blunt force trauma induced fight sequences and tier one action design along with brutal and gory violence that a horror movie would invite into its wings. This movie is messy but in the best way possible.
Working side by side with cinematographer Gunnar Nimpuno, Tjahanto evokes a hyper-surreal and hyper-kinetic flourish in the mayhem and brandishing a plot that takes the tried-and-true Triad trope and turns it on his head by showcasing elite assassins that work for the organization but outside the lines to eliminate threats and take care of problems encompasses a barbaric overtone of chaos and extreme design that takes the viewer on one hell of a wild ride. Uwais also serves as action director on this, and he firmly establishes himself as an elite action star and choreographer developing insane sequences that utilizes the talents of all involved. Uwais has developed an award worthy relationship with Tjahanto with the former starring in the latter’s equally brutal and fan worthy action pic Headshot and here they both raise the bar to the extreme. Another plateau if you will or if you are keeping score at home.
Taslim, who has spent most of his career serving as side characters in The Raid, Mortal Kombat and the Swordsman finally is able to take control of a movie all his own and the action actor takes the reigns and runs wild with it. Taslim is a natural talent when it comes to action design onscreen, but his dramatic endeavors serve him well also and during the film’s softer moments (yes there are those), Taslim radiates a distinct likeability and sincerity that makes you want him to succeed even though he is essentially a very bad person. Action wise, the man is just plain awesome, and he executes moves that range from the extreme to the intricate that highlights his second to none blitzkrieg of skills.
The best sequences are probably the meat locker scene which involves all the tools of the trade that go with slicing meat and the billiard room sequence that sees Taslim go full-on one-man war. Both sequences evoke more blood than you’ll probably see in the most gruesome zombie flick and the action design is just plain on another level. I can’t even begin to tell you how many creative and bloody kills there are. It’s relentless in its execution.
Just in case you were worried that the Night Comes for Us is all about the fisticuffs, well I’m here to put your mind at ease as massive firepower and heavy weaponry are well represented in numerous action set pieces. The blood squibs are off the charts, and I think there were actual small explosions on people when bullets hit flesh. This is true blue Asian Action at its most masterful and some western filmmakers could learn a thing or two about upping the insane factor in their movies.
Even in a supporting role, Uwais still has that leading man flavor and he gets more than his fair share to act and fight and when the latter hits, it’s the usual you can’t take your eyes of him and he is so fast that you have to rewind and watch him perform again as you gather everything that you missed the first time around. Uwais, like Taslim, is one of those rare talents that can flawlessly perform the most jaw dropping, gravity killing moves while at the same time executing what looks to be the hardest joint manipulations and locks for a crowd-pleasing effect. As action director, Uwais makes everyone, including himself, look like the superstars they are, and the audience is the winner for it.
Julie Estelle is a rare talent and is one actress that can play rough with the boys when the crap hits the proverbial fan. From roles in The Raid 2 to Headshot, Estelle is a gifted actress both dramatically and physically and her technique onscreen is a treat to behold. Known simply as the Operator (how bad ass is that?) Estelle has a memorable scene where she gets to get her knife technique on which just happens to be one of my most favorite types of fights in films. there’s nothing like a good knife fight and here Estelle’s Operator dazzles with signature skills and brandishes a bravado that is unmatched. She literally steals the show from the heavyweight stars and this scene is a masterclass on how to expertly annihilate opponents with bladed weapons.
If you know Timo Tjahjanto’s work as a filmmaker, then you know he has cut his teeth in the horror genre with his V/H/S 2 short film entry Safe Haven, which was subsequently co-directed by The Raid franchise director Gareth Evans, being the other thing he is best known for. This project makes it clear that his first love is horror, but action is up there as well, and he masterfully puts the two together for a unique experience that has to be seen. Probably talking about this movie doesn’t do it the justice that it deserves so why go on. just watch it and if you have, weel indulge yourself and watch it again.
Overall, this is a unique and bold take on the action genre, and it mixes genres with near perfection while infusing blood splattered visuals and it really is a shame that this film didn’t get a wide release in theaters as the action on display would have looked even more impressive (if that is truly possible) with sound that enhances the brutality and barbaric hits to the body. I wish that I was able to attend the Big Bad Film Fest in person as I feel seeing this on the big screen was a rare treat never to be seen again. Yes, the plot is generic, but it still establishes a Godfather like epic feel to it that elevates it past other films of its kind and the cast is all in with hospital visit worthy stunt work that proves that when the right people are working on a film, greatness can happen. It’s not perfect, no movie is but why try to nitpick when all that is great about it overshadows any negativity.
The Night Comes for Us is a rare action film that blends spectacular action with horror worthy gore and when the final credits roll, even the viewer is sweating from the immersive experience of all the bloodletting. There’s really nothing more to say except I’m certainly going to revisit this one a lot more than I have in the past.
VERDICT: 4.5 Out of 5 Stars
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