Extraction

• Directed by Sam Hargrave (Feature Directorial Debut)
• April 24, 2020
• Based on the graphic novel Ciudad by Ande Parks, Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Fernando León González, and Eric Skillman
• Netflix

An Australian mercenary takes on a mission to save an Indian drug lord’s kidnapped son in Bangladesh, but things go wrong when he is double-crossed.

I had heard about Extraction for some time but honestly was put off by the presence of Chris Hemsworth. Why? Name one good/successful movie without ‘Thor’ in the title that he was involved in. And even some of those sucked. But wanting something action-y and nothing in my physical collection appealing to me I decided to give it a shot. And I was pleasantly surprised.

Clearly I don’t have a very high opinion of Chris Hemsworth. He does okay in whatever but really his only claim to fame are the Thor movies and those last two did not make me happy at all. He was horrible in Ghostbusters: Answer the Call. And did anybody see Blackhat? Anybody? Thought not. He usually is not an engaging actor or one that picks interesting films.

Chris Hemsworth is not my cup of tea for anything. I stand by my assessment that he’s a pretty face that is where he is largely because he looked the part rather than have the ability to play the part. This however shows he can play the part. He has enough ability to give his character some layers and complexity. There’s pain in his performance and you get the feeling that indeed this character is looking for a way out but can’t do it himself. He’s going through the motions of his life until he meets this kid, and finds something bigger than himself worth living for rather than dying for a paycheck.

Extraction is one of those movies where the hero earns a bit of redemption by the end of the story. A tried-and-true basis for film stories since the early days of cinema. Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) has no trouble pulling a gun and killing others when necessary, but he cannot do it to himself. And he finds his personal redemption for past mistakes as well as something to live for during the story in his struggle to keep alive/rescue a drug lord’s son from kidnappers.

The plot itself is pretty straightforward with little complexity. Rake must save a drug lord’s child. No complexity there. But there is plenty here for Hargrave and pals to get a solid story that is pushing two hours out of. The action is steady with just enough of a break to move the story forward or grow the characters.

There’s a bit of realism in the fight scenes that we get in the movie. Our hero might be the best of the best but he’s not unbeatable and often takes damage. And it’s not things that he walks off, but rather stuff that is carried through to the end of the film. He takes damage and has to come back from it. He doesn’t simply walk off his wounds with a sling or bandage. Extraction is a combination of the superhuman yet mortal.

The action scenes are well choreographed and almost visceral. While they get your adrenaline pumping they’re not necessarily meant to look cool. They’re designed to be intense to bring you to the edge of your seat because you’re not sure if you can make it out of this one.

The ending is a bit of a surprise. Even though this got a sequel once again starring Chris Hemsworth that is not a prequel, the ending is unusual for an action movie. Rather conclusive and unexpected for ANY action film yet fits nicely in the narrative. I think it could’ve ended with our hero barely surviving, but I don’t think it would’ve had as much punch.

Extraction is a great action film. It can be enjoyed for the action or for the characters. There is plenty of excitement and punch to its visuals and some layers to its characters. I definitely recommend this one