Since the release and tremendous success of the John Wick franchise, roughly 60% of action films have followed a similar format. The most significant change is the star in the lead role. Chris Hemsworth's take on the trope, Extraction, is far from a Wick rip-off but even farther from originality. The sequel has finally hit Netflix, and it's a well-constructed blockbuster with few new ideas but plenty of fun scenes.
Director Sam Hargrave has worked as a stunt coordinator for multiple Marvel projects and as a stuntman on several recent action films. The Extraction films are his only feature films as director. Like half of the action films released today, Extraction was made in collaboration with the Russo brothers. Joe wrote the script and co-wrote the graphic novel source material with his brother Anthony. Anyone familiar with their work will feel their hallmarks here.
Extraction 2 takes place shortly after the events of the first film, but newcomers won't be particularly lost. Tyler Rake, Chris Hemsworth's answer to Jason Bourne or John McClane, is back after suffering a near-fatal wound at the end of the previous film. Rake endures months of physical therapy while frequently complaining about being alive. His allies get him a lovely mountain cabin and promise him a healthy retirement. Rake swiftly becomes stir-crazy, but luckily, a job finds him. Rake's ex-wife needs him to rescue her sister from a prison in Georgia. So far, so standard, but as Rake extracts his former sister-in-law and her two children, he quickly discovers that her husband and his criminal family won't let them go without a fight.
What's to be said about the story of the Extraction franchise? It's as simple as they come. The strength of both films is entirely contained within the piercing blue eyes of Chris Hemsworth. Tyler Rake isn't an especially deep character, but Hemsworth makes him feel believably human, which is all one can ask from the assignment. He's Coriolanus, the man who's always at war, even when he's at home. The film barely nods at subtext in its main plotline, but Rake's backstory does manage to find an emotional beat. Tyler Rake will never be the character Chris Hemsworth is best remembered for playing, nor should he be, but there are far lesser action icons out there. The Russos are threatening to turn Extraction into a cinematic universe, and though it probably doesn't have the steam to pull that off, no one will complain if Hemsworth straps the bulletproof vest on for a third act. The man took half a dozen swings at franchises that didn't land. This and Thor are impressive enough.
No one is coming to Extraction 2 for the nuanced exploration of military parenting. They're here for fast-paced shootouts, massive explosions, gritty one-liners, and punches that have been set on fire. Rest assured. Extraction 2 delivers on all of that and more. There's a prolonged one-shot action scene in the aforementioned Georgian prison that tops every action beat in the first film put together. Hemsworth is characteristically solid in each shootout or fistfight, but his co-stars Golshifteh Farahani and Adam Bessa are also fun to watch. There aren't any weak action scenes in this film. They all flow together well and complement the tone. Extraction 2 is not the only place to see nearly identical set pieces, but it is the only place to see Hemsworth do them. Anybody looking to lay back and watch some people in tactical gear blast each other with big guns will have a fine time with this film.
Some elements of Extraction 2 are flatly embarrassing. The score by prolific composer Henry Jackman is so generic that it's hard to notice how often it completely drops out. Multiple action scenes occur in silence, filled only by shouting and machine gun fire. The most hilarious detail of both films is the color grading. It's obnoxious in a way that suggests deliberately leaning into this common dumb editing trait. These films treat exotic locations on Earth like their towns in early Pokémon games. The first film took place in Bangladesh, which as a South Asian country, is always yellow. Georgia, an Eastern European country, is always grayish blue. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so obvious. Hollywood loves portraying different nations with specific colors, and Extraction 2 could be the go-to example for the trope.
Extraction was the most-watched Netflix movie in the world when it was released. Extraction 2 will almost certainly claim a similar award. Netflix's audiences want something simple and inoffensive to entertain a diverse group around a couch. The film is destined to entertain teens who are home alone, families with nothing to talk about, and groups of men who mostly drink and talk over it. There are far worse action films out there. A lot of work went into very specific elements of Extraction 2. Sit back and let Hemsworth blast his way through another slightly above-average actioner. There'll be another one in a few months, but this one is pretty good.
Extraction 2
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- Release Date
- June 16, 2023
Extraction 2 is the follow-up to the first Netflix adaptation of a graphic novel, directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo. Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as former Australian spec ops turned mercenary Tyler Rake, having survived the first film's events. The film will shift to an icy climate where he will again battle against the odds with explosive high-stakes action sequences.