MOVIE:
Extraction
WHERE TO WATCH:
OUR RATING:
3/5 Stars
WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is a fearless black market mercenary with nothing left to lose when his skills are solicited to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. But in the murky underworld of weapons dealers and drug traffickers, an already deadly mission approaches the impossible, forever altering the lives of Rake and the boy.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
I was raised on action movies. Every Friday my dad would take us to the video store to rent some films (side note: our account code was 007). My brother and I would get to choose something, and my dad would take his usual action film starring either Jean Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal or Chuck Norris.
We were probably a bit too young to watch some of those films, but we were engrossed in the car chases, the shoot outs, explosions and martial arts. While I was watching Extraction, I had a sense of nostalgia as I got swept up in the non-stop, on-the-edge-of-your-seat action.
In his directorial debut, Sam Hargaves manages to create a fine balance between the action and the drama. While the script isn't dialogue heavy, the choreographed action sequences and combat scenes are used to drive the storytelling.
Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is a hardcore, haunted mercenary who is contracted to rescue Ovi (Rudhraksh Jaiswal) the kidnapped son of a drug lord. But the rescue doesn't go as planned, and Tyler ultimately goes on a suicide mission to get Ovi home.
While the storyline is pretty generic, there are twists and double-crosses that keep you guessing and entertained. By the end of the movie, there is a sense of unfinished business, that could be the set up for a sequel.
If you're looking for a 'skop, skiet and donner' film – Extraction has it all! There are fistfights, knife attacks, blunt object bashing, someone being knocked down violently by a car, and explosions galore. And each actor looks like they are genuinely walking away from a real fight.
This role fits Chris Hemsworth like a glove with his Thor-like strength; he has no problem knocking down the bad guys. I mean, who wouldn't trust Chris with their lives?
What I enjoyed most about his performance are the moments his character had with Ovi. Chris and Rudhraksh have great chemistry. Where Tyler is jaded and guarded, Ovi, despite the situation he is in, is trusting and vulnerable. Their scenes brought something more to the story; where Chris is the muscle of the film, Rudhraksh is the heart.
When it comes to the rest of the cast Randeep Hooda, who plays an ex-special forces operative who works for Ovi's father and Priyanshu Painyuli, who plays the suave rival drug lord, turn out notable performances.
If you like films like Man on Fire, Equalizer and John Wick you'll definitely enjoy this and if action films aren't usually your cup of tea, this is a great one to escape in.
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: