Extraction

EXTRACTION - NETFLIX

Long-term Marvel stunt co-ordinator Sam Hargrave sets the streets of Dhaka alight in his Joe Russo-penned feature debut Extraction. When the son of an influential Bangladeshi drug lord is kidnapped, mercenary Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is called in to save the day. 

As the latest release in a string of NETFLIX exclusives, one could be forgiven for having reservations. The streaming giant has had a highly inconsistent track-record when it comes to acquiring original films for the platform – ranging from awards contenders (Roma, Marriage Story) to questionable genre films (Bright, Mute) and lowest common denominator romcoms (The Kissing Booth). Whilst it does provide a highly public platform for influential directors like Dan Gilroy or Fernando Meirelles to freely distribute their projects, it has yet to retain a consistent stream of high-quality content. Thankfully, Extraction is a far cry from the worst Netflix has to offer.

The film’s cold open is not the best indicator of this. A roughed-up Rake is seen gunning down nondescript goons in a nondescript foreign location, burying the film in a shallow grave of bargain-bin convention in its opening minutes. Avengers: Engame co-director, Joe Russo, has written a skin-deep narrative, with characters that provide little to hold on to. Despite this, Hemsworth gives a stellar performance. Tyler Rake is not an action hero that’ll be remembered, but he suits this self-contained story down to the ground, a cardboard-cutout brought to life by an effortlessly enthusiastic leading man. His backstory is a conveniently tragic one, but does a sufficient job of giving his character some kind of depth and motivation, at least, enough to get by.

Concerning character, the issues arise in the form of the Terminator-esque Saju, played by Randeep Hooda, who turns from secondary protagonist to secondary antagonist and back again for no particular reason. Despite this, he does stand as a fine example of multicultural representation, a developed Indian character who more than holds his ground and a presence that provides the majority of emotional attachment within the film. Stranger Things alum David Harbour also appears in little more than a glorified cameo to add some much needed levity but feels like more of a wasted opportunity than a valid addition to the story. 

If it were true that a movie were only as good as its villain, Extraction would be condemned by its mass-produced movie bad guy. He surrounds himself with suits who commit unspeakable acts for him as he basks in the Bangladesh sun. His performance tries to give the impression of nonchalance, a comfort in his own power, but comes off more as someone sleepwalking through a minefield as the city burns around him. This is tied to a child-soldier commentary that flits in and out but isn’t focused upon enough to make a valid socio-political statement. 

The main draw behind Extraction is its action, a fact which its director is fortunately aware of. It’s entertaining to see Hemsworth break free from his PG-13 bindings and let loose in predictably well-choreographed sequences. This crescendoes in a shot, edited to look like an unbroken long take, where Hargrave really gets to show off. It’s a wonderful example of practical, in-camera filmmaking that – despite its clunkier moments – serves as a testament to why we love action movies. Nonetheless, it’s hard to ignore the looming shadow of Chad Stahelski’s John Wick franchise over these kinetic beatdowns, with certain beats and tableaus directly lifted from this obvious influence. 

It feels as though Netflix have nailed the exact type of film they should be investing in with Extraction. It’s a well-made action film through-and-through with passion emanating both in front of and behind the camera. Drive cinematographer Newton Thomas Spigel’s impressive vistas of Dhaka, and Hargrave’s undoubtedly impressive direction, elevate this beyond your run-of-the-mill action romp. Whilst its gaping narrative problems and flimsy characters leave a lot to be desired, the strong components to this film are really strong, and it’s impossible not to praise it for that. 

EXTRACTION is streaming exclusively on NETFLIX April 24th 2020