Free Stream Alert: ‘Merantau’ – The Raid Director’s Epic Action Thriller

A renowned Oscar-nominee and tough guy in Hollywood, known for his brutal roles, has unleashed chaos in a new film. After witnessing Hardy serve justice brutally, you should definitely watch this underappreciated martial arts action movie directed by the same person as “The Raid”, titled “The Raid’s Gareth Evans’ follow-up“, starring another genre legend. To make things even more enticing, it’s available for free streaming.

Released in 2009, the film titled “Merantau“, also known as “Merantau Warrior“, was the first collaboration between its director, Gareth Evans, and actor Iko Uwais, who became widely recognized for his roles in “The Raid” and “The Raid 2“. Starring Sisca Jessica, Mads Koudal, Laurent Buson, Yusuf Aulia, Alex Abbad, Christine Hakim, Donny Alamsyah, and Yayan Ruhian, this movie is a must-watch for action enthusiasts, especially those anticipating more of the spectacular fight scenes that Evans and Uwais are known to deliver.

Currently, the martial arts film “Merantau” is accessible for streaming, rental, and purchase on various platforms such as Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. Alternatively, you can watch it for free with advertisements on channels like The Roku Channel and Pluto TV. If, somehow, you’re still reading this instead of quickly streaming the thrilling Pencak silat action of “Merantau”, then I invite you to explore its storyline below.

In the film “Merantau“, Iko Uwais plays the main character, Yuda – an accomplished martial artist preparing for the traditional rite-of-passage known as “Merantau”. This ancient custom requires the young men of his peaceful farming community to venture out from their idyllic home and establish themselves in the bustling metropolis of Jakarta. However, upon arrival, Yuda discovers that he must rely on his martial arts skills much more than he initially anticipated.

Will Gareth Evans & Iko Uwais Ever Reunite for ‘The Raid 3’?

Although Iko Uwais, once a prominent figure in Hollywood, now runs his own production company, director Gareth Evans recently released the action-packed Netflix series titled “Havoc“. In this gripping tale, Tom Hardy plays a detective grappling with his injuries as he delves into the criminal underworld to recover a politician’s missing son. Despite some varying opinions, “Havoc” has proven successful for Netflix.

In the meantime, Uwais continued his acting career by taking on starring roles in “The Raid” and “The Raid 2”, two films that are now regarded as outstanding examples of modern action cinema. It was once believed that a third installment, “The Raid 3”, would not materialize; however, Evans has hinted at a possible return after discussing the project with Uwais.

My response to that question was somewhat vague as I wasn’t sure if or when it could be realized. Originally, I envisioned a sequel directly following The Raid 2, set just minutes after the second movie ended. However, due to my involvement in other projects and the passage of time, I can no longer make that version of the film.

Instead of actively pursuing another installment or a third part of “The Raid” series, I decided to let the idea rest and move on, thinking, ‘Since I was content with where we ended in “The Raid 2”, I don’t feel compelled to create more.’ So, I effectively ruled out the possibility.

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2025-05-10 16:10