Extraction 2 Review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ : Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), ex-special forces and current mercenary-for-hire is back from his presumed death for another mission. After its predecessor’s success with its talented cast and crew, any studio would jump for a sequel like this. Though dare I say this one might even be better. Same team, more action, deeper exploration of Tyler’s character, and of course, the twenty-one-minute one-take scene that pulls you right into the extraction.
Warning: Minor spoilers ahead
Tyler’s Why
After being severely wounded, falling off a bridge, and into the ocean, Tyler Rake’s nearly lifeless body is found washed up by the shore (In sequel fashion). The first act shows his recovery and catches us up with the rest of his team Nik Khan (Golshifteh Farahani) and Yaz Khan (Adam Bessa). Compared to its predecessor, the chemistry between the three is more natural, not to mention the complicated relationship between Tyler and Nik. There seems to be some romance there but the movie has too much on its plate plot-wise to truly dive into it. Nik mentions to Tyler how he kept fighting to stay alive and there must be a reason why.
As Tyler recuperates in an off-the-book lodge, he has time to think about that question. His past still bothers him – the death of his son, his failed marriage that followed, and the heavy regret he feels because of his absence during his son’s passing. His ruminations take a sideline when he’s visited by a lone man (Idris Elba), who offers him another extraction gig, this time with a personal twist.
His former sister-in-law Ketevan (Tinatin Dalakishvili) and her children are trapped in a Georgian prison by her husband, who leads his own terrorist organization. Rake accepts the job, calls Nik, and tells her maybe this is his why. His son always looked to him as a hero, so he wants to put that to the test, perhaps searching for some sort of closure.
The Twenty-One Minute Oner
Yes, you read that correctly – a twenty-one-minute long take, in this case, it’s one big action sequence to another. This is where the drama is put aside and where we’re quite literally put into act two. Director Sam Hargrave shows his genre expertise to bring some of the most creative action set pieces you’ll see. Gunshots, stabs, helicopters, hundreds of extras, and setting Chris Hemsworth on fire. The direction is
smooth as it is chaotic, with most of it all being practical. Hargrave immerses the audience as if we’re there with the team for the extraction.
I couldn’t believe some of the things I saw when watching this movie, it’ll leave you amazed and questioning how it was even shot. The genre has been oversaturated with recycled plots and its typical action. Extraction 2 doesn’t fall into that category and proves to be a stand-out, maybe to even it’s own.
The Verdict
While the character arcs are often put into the back seats of the story, Extraction 2 uses its creative action set pieces to hold its own. When the action does halt, it provides enough closure for Tyler Rake and a tease of where the franchise is headed. Make no mistake, Sam Hargrave and Chris Hemsworth are doing great things for Netflix and the action genre, pushing themselves into the same conversation
as Jason Bourne and John Wick.
Rating: 4/5 stars
