A mercenary, Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), with a troubled past accepts a contract to extract a mob bosses' son from the clutches of a rival mobster. With the odds stacked against him, Tyler finds his physical and mental resolve put to the test as the stakes become increasingly personal.
A throwback to 80's style one-man-killing-machine action flicks that gave Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger their respective careers, Extraction's title also doubles as a pretty accurate synopsis of the film.
Fronted by Hemsworth in another solid action leading man role, Extraction is a straight-shooting, no-nonsense ride that goes for the jugular when it comes to action. As Tyler travels through Dhaka, Bangladesh with the kidnapped kid in tow, he finds himself chased by crime lords, corrupt police officers and even child soldiers. The action is relentless and the film transitions from car chases to rooftop scuffles and street standoffs all within minutes of each other, making Extraction feel like it could have worked well as a single-take film had the filmmakers decided to take it up a notch.
Naturally, comparisons to John Wick are inevitable, not least for being another feature debut for a stunt coordinator turned director. However, Extraction's endless onslaught of bloodshed ends up having the opposite effect of John Wick. Long before the film's protracted finale, the relentless shooting and killing becomes numbing rather than exhilarating, largely due to the exploitative nature of the story.
Unlike the hyper-realism of John Wick, Extraction grounds itself in the gritty geo-political climate of a third world country (Thailand doubling for Bangladesh) and the grimy subtext of police corruption and organised crime is exploited for mind-numbing action carnage. It works on a basic thrill-level but leaves the film mired in questionable politics and a general air of callousness.
That's why the Michael Bay school of switch off your brain to enjoy applies whole heartedly here. Extraction does not short-change viewers looking for a solid action flick to sink their teeth into, just don't expect to find much meat on its bones.
A throwback to 80's style one-man-killing-machine action flicks that gave Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger their respective careers, Extraction's title also doubles as a pretty accurate synopsis of the film.
Fronted by Hemsworth in another solid action leading man role, Extraction is a straight-shooting, no-nonsense ride that goes for the jugular when it comes to action. As Tyler travels through Dhaka, Bangladesh with the kidnapped kid in tow, he finds himself chased by crime lords, corrupt police officers and even child soldiers. The action is relentless and the film transitions from car chases to rooftop scuffles and street standoffs all within minutes of each other, making Extraction feel like it could have worked well as a single-take film had the filmmakers decided to take it up a notch.
Naturally, comparisons to John Wick are inevitable, not least for being another feature debut for a stunt coordinator turned director. However, Extraction's endless onslaught of bloodshed ends up having the opposite effect of John Wick. Long before the film's protracted finale, the relentless shooting and killing becomes numbing rather than exhilarating, largely due to the exploitative nature of the story.
Unlike the hyper-realism of John Wick, Extraction grounds itself in the gritty geo-political climate of a third world country (Thailand doubling for Bangladesh) and the grimy subtext of police corruption and organised crime is exploited for mind-numbing action carnage. It works on a basic thrill-level but leaves the film mired in questionable politics and a general air of callousness.
That's why the Michael Bay school of switch off your brain to enjoy applies whole heartedly here. Extraction does not short-change viewers looking for a solid action flick to sink their teeth into, just don't expect to find much meat on its bones.