Extraction

Netflix’s new action set piece, Extraction, further expands on the brilliance of stunt-directors manning the camera. With a solid script by Joe Russo, the car chases and knife fights in the streets of India burst with color and tension, not to mention some great scenes with Chris Hemsworth.

This will be a quick review, so I will focus on the selling point of this film: the director. This is Sam Hargrave’s directorial debut, but he already knows full well how big productions work because he has done stunt work and stunt coordination for 80 projects, including the MCU films. He knows the ins and outs of stunt work in modern day Hollywood, and this film is his attempt at pushing that side of filmmaking forward. He commits to every dolly change and in-camera edit. He knows what the audience wants to see and brings you as close to the explosions as he can reach—on the hood of a speeding car alongside Chris Hemsworth’s barreling truck. He puts the action both in front and behind the camera, immersing the viewer in the center of the chase. With the highly successful John Wick franchise, and Netflix offering exotic, black-ops-military heist films every year, I cannot wait to see what stuntmen have in store down the road. The big screen has never been more involved in the action.

Most reviews about this film point out the weak script, but I fail to see why it detracts from the enjoyment. Every plot beat either builds up tension for the next action scene, or develops why certain characters have to push themselves into the fight. Are some scenes rushed or awkward in their exposition of character? Yeah—and only a couple—but as a whole they are forgivable due to the charismatic cast and fantastic camerawork. By the time each chase scene starts, you know what is at stake, what each character is trying to achieve, and why they cannot turn back. I thought the script was handled really well, and in many cases it takes what is expected in these kinds of films and either twists it or stretches it out to revive the sense of danger in moments you might have predicted correctly. The writers knew the audience had been through similar stories, but they never saw that as a problem; they took on that challenge and attempted to keep each scene unique to this film.

Overall, from the moment this film starts until the very last scene, the set pieces and web of characters are a blast. The only problem I have with this film is the very last minute in the last scene. It ruined what the atmosphere of the climax set up, that sometimes the bad guys do get away, and sometimes our heroes can suffer without closure. I loved that world it set up, how hatred lives on even when the day is won. it is a unique twist on this very saturated genre of action films. What the last moment of the film, the last image it leaves you with to sit on, is the script pulling that rug from underneath your feet just to set up an easy sequel. So, if you want a fresh, stand-alone take with great stunt work and camera-movement, with a solid story supported by Christ Hemsworth and Rudhraksh Jaiswal—a surprisingly brilliant child actor—then check out Extraction on Netflix, and stop watching as soon as they leave the bridge.

Story Rating: 5/10

Character Rating: 7/10

Entertainment Rating: 7/10