Extraction (2020): Review by @Kush_Hayes
Watching Netflixs newest release last night, I had a series of questions that I couldnt shake off after a full nights sleep. Why is this almost 2 hours? Why does this feel like a TV show? Why is this action so dope, yet just not fun? Why isnt this fun? Is this too serious? Why didnt Netflix advertise this (or anything)? This is based on a comic book? Why are there no photos of this comic online? I have a shitty sound system, but how is the foley the best part of this movie? Why is the films credits over 13 minutes?
Kush, you want to actually tell us something about this movie? Sure. Chris Hemsworth is a Mercenary. Hes the best. Hes also the craziest. Hes also dealing with demons in his life that probably help make him the crazy best. You get all that? Good. The kid of a notorious Indian drug dealer has been kidnapped by a rival notorious drug dealer from across the river. This rival also has the support of the local military on his side, obviously hes funding them, but still… Hemsworth also known as Tyler Rake is assembled to be a part of an extraction team where they try to negotiate with the kidnappers but are prepared to take the kid by lethal force if necessary. Spoiler alert, lethal force becomes necessary.
However at some point in the actual mission, the fathers deposit for the extraction is either never transferred over or cancelled. Its unclear if someone tampering with the mission or the father, who is still an evil drug dealer, is just being a shithead. Regardless, things go from bad to worse very quickly. Rudhraksh Jaiswal plays the kidnapping victim, named Ovi. It could be a number of factors for why, but Jaiswal never feels like hes being utilized properly during the film. The biggest moment of the character is when he has a moment to soak everything in and realizes hes no more than “just a package” and unfortunately hes no more than just a prop throughout the film. He even has a character defining moment in the film, but nothing really gets done with it.
Hemsworths character is focused at being punched, kicked, stabbed and shot at when not shot, so it makes sense why Hemsworths performance is slightly frazzled. Many times he tries to display that hes got a bond to the kid, but no one seems totally invested.
The real star of this movie is its stunts. This film is directed by stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave and the guy knows his business well. His business being stunts. Every action piece scores a 6 out of 5 but theyre so detailed, but so over the top, yet so grounded that its easy to be overstimulated to the point where youre not worried that Hemsworth is facing a dozen men, you can bet hes going to be ok at the 37 minute mark of this 1hour 56 minute movie with 13 minutes of credits. Again, the stunts they perform in this are great, and when you discover theyre really doing this in the streets of Bangladesh and India it should feel more special. What Hargrave is lacking is finding away for his characters in the film to connect to each other and things get drawn out too long. Without credits, this movie could have been a nice tight action package at 90 minutes.
At the end of everything, friends become enemies, enemies become friends, people you think we cant count on actually come through when needed. The films biggest problem is its not fun.
Three out of Five Blueberries
Rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, language and brief drug use)
Photos provided by Netflix
© 2020 TheBosNet Family All Rights Reserved
