A few years back, a plucky little action movie - the directorial debut of a veteran stuntman - landed on Netflix. Shot with an interesting guerrilla style that favoured long takes, it was raw and brutal. Making it a no holds barred, uncomplicated action movie - just like mamma used to make. Now stuntman turned director Sam Hargrave and Chris Hemsworth are back with the next chapter in the Tyler Rake story, and it's bigger, bolder and more intense than his first outing. Making it rather refreshing, because Extraction 2 is an action sequel that isn't simply a rehash of the first movie with a bigger budget. Sure there are some familiarities, like Hargrave's love of long, seamless action takes - let's face it, who doesn't love those? - but Extraction 2 is very much its own animal.
Hargrave and his team clearly know what they're doing, and more importantly they know exactly what kind of movie they're making. Which is exactly what they deliver. Pretty much non-stop excitement throughout, with the occasional let-up - probably more to allow audiences to catch their breath than anything else. The action is over the top insanity, done right, and it just keeps on coming. Those deliciously long takes keep us right in the middle of the chaos as Rake and his team shoot, kick and explode their way out of every situation. The prison break scene is a particular highlight, with the camera mostly locked on Hemsworth as he fights his way through a riot. It all looks exhausting, for him, that is. Whereas for us it's tremendously fun to watch!
Incredibly, within the confines of the action movie format, and yes it is rather packed, Hemsworth once again manages to bring a little substance to Rake. He may be your typical Hollywood badass - a gun for hire with a troubled past - but thanks to Hemsworth's performance Rake isn't this two-dimensional cardboard cut-out of a man. Growth may be the wrong word, but there has definitely been some attempt to develop the character. In fact, there are several genuine moments with Rake, like seeing him apprehensive about meeting certain characters after fighting his way out of hell without so much as blinking. The same can be said of the villain; Zurato Radiani (Tornike Gogrichiani). For the most part he is simply the big bad of the movie, but there are moments that explore - or at least scratch at - why he is who he is, and it's good to see Gogrichiani leaning into that. At the same time it's also great fun to watch the two of them knock seven bells out of each other - including a cheeky little Thor reference.
Overall, Extraction 2 is actually better than its predecessor. Bigger, more ridiculous action, and plenty of it. But it hasn't lost that raw and brutal feel that made Extraction work so well. Hemsworth once again looks unstoppable in the lead role. It's also great to see Golshifteh Farahani and Adam Bessa's Nik and Yaz Khan getting more stuck in this time around. There also happens to be a fun cameo in there too! Hargrave has clearly learned a few things and built on what he did with the first movie. Sure it's guilty of more than a few movie clichés, and can be quite predictable because of it. But it simply doesn't matter, because Extraction 2 - much like it's predecessor - delivers exactly what it promises; two hours of over the top, big thrills action. Nothing more, nothing less.
A good old fashioned, no holds barred action movie. Extraction 2 does exactly what it says on the tin, and somehow manages to bigger, bolder and more of a thrill ride than the first movie.
8/10
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I have watched it twice already and still I could not get over it... I needed to rewatch the predecessor a countless times before proceeding to the successor 🥳🥳🥳 Three years was worth the wait 💯
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