With the rise of stuntman-directed films, Sam Hargrave not only delivers a new installment to the genre, but pulls off one of the most adrenaline-pumping films that I have seen in quite a while.
The essential plot line of Extraction, which is available only on Netflix, is about a black-market mercenary named Tyler Rake (played by Chris Hemsworth) who is hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international drug lord. This leads Rake through the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, with the kidnapped son, in an intense blend of car chases, fist fights, and bullets.
Sam Hargrave does a marvelous job at directing this action-thriller. Each scene is shot so well that it keeps you on the edge of your seat during every action sequence. The color pallet portrayed the streets of Dhaka in a darkish, sewer-like light giving the viewer the sense of depravity and gruesomeness of Rake’s and the kidnapped son’s situation.
The action in Extraction is definitely the selling point of this movie. Each gun fight, fist fight and car chase that is featured in the movie is done in such a gruesome and engaging fashion. It is obvious that Hemsworth must have spent countless months preparing for these action sequences. Each fight, whether it is with a gun or a fist fight, is complex and delivered effectively. There is also a 12-minute sequence that is cut to look like one long camera take, and it is officially one of my favorite action sequences I have seen in quite a while.
As for any action movie, the action is only as good as the cinematography. If the action scenes are shot poorly, it is difficult to keep track of what is happening. Thankfully with this film, the cinematography showcases the action spectacularly, making each sequence easy to follow and digest.
The casting in this movie is also quite well done. Using an actor like Chris Hemsworth aids in making you care about the character. Since the world saw Hemsworth take up the hammer in Marvel’s Thor in 2011, audiences have fallen in love with the actor. Because of this pre-established love for Hemsworth, it makes it much easier for audiences to attach to his character in Extraction, especially since this film is mostly action rather than a character-building movie. Rudhraksh Jaiswal, the actor playing the kidnapped son, also does an exceptional job of portraying the child. Although he does not have a whole lot of dialogue in the movie, his facial expressions give a convincing image of how terrified the boy truly is. Also, there is a cameo about halfway through the film that was cast wisely. Although the character is only in the film for about 15 minutes, he executes an impressive performance. Because of the casting of this cameo, I was honestly surprised and impressed with the character’s story-arc, since I did not expect it all.
The pacing of this film is also executed effectively. Although it immediately dives into the intense action, there is a 20-minute sequence during the middle of the film where there is barely any action, and mostly just character building. It then dives back into the action all the way to the end. While some movies pull this form of pacing off quite poorly, Extraction does an incredible job with it – giving you time during the amazing action sequences to not only breathe, but also connect more with the characters.
Before I watched this movie, I was not expecting a whole lot. I knew that Chris Hemsworth was in it, so I was definitely excited for that. However, I was not prepared for how amazing of a film Extraction was going to be. It kept me engaged for the entirety of the film, and after watching it, Extraction has now become one of my favorite action movies that I have seen in quite a long time. I would highly recommend this to any action film lover, and with the COVID-19 pandemic still in occurrence, I would recommend checking it out during this quarantine period. If you love good action, then this is definitely the movie for you.
Rating: 8/10
The Candid Clark 