Extraction 2 is the sequel to the 2020 action thriller directed by Sam Hargrave and stars Chris Hemsworth. It also stars Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Andro Japaridze, Miriam and Marta Kovziashvili, Tornike Gogrichiani, Tornike Bziava, Daniel Bernhardt, Tinatin Dalakshvili, with Olga Kurylenko and Idris Elba.
Hemsworth is back as mercenary and extraction specialist, Tyler Rake. Despite almost certainly dying at the end of the last film, he’s back and is once again tasked with extracting a family of three from near-impossible odds. This time he’s not alone as he’s brought along Nik and Yaz Kahn from the first film as backup. And he’ll need all the help he can get as he’s pursued by ruthless gangsters through the depths of a Georgian prison and across Austria. Complicating things is both the large number of people he has to look after, the sheer relentlessness of the villains, and the fact that one of those he’s trying to rescue is his ex sister-in-law.
In my review back in the first film I praised Sam Hargrave’s undeniable skill in capturing action and that’s been turned up to eleven here. Chris, Golshifteh, and Adam all get to show off some amazing gunplay and action choreography. The long, no-cut action shot from the first film has been surpassed with a 21-minute shot this time around (and with a couple of clever edits to make it look even longer). One downside is that while the action is indeed captivating, it’s lacking in a certain human element that the first had with Randeep Hooda’s antagonist; even if the action is good, it’s lacking a certain greatness if all the heroes are doing are mowing down or surviving wave after wave of nameless henchmen. Still, if Sam Hargrave and Chad Stahelski are any indication, the future of action films will be paved by stunt workers turned to directors.
However, the plot still remains pretty barebones and while there are several more moments to humanize our heroes there are times when some of that could have been used a bit more for the people they’re trying to rescue. Despite being his sister-in-law and niece and nephew, not much time is spent with Tyler connecting with his estranged family. And with his nephew Sandro (Japaridze), despite knowing that his father and his family being bloodthirsty and abusive monsters still needlessly endanger not only the extraction team but his own mother and sister as well. By the third time it’s happened, you’re left wondering why the heroes haven’t just abandoned the little twerp.
All in all, this is very much like the first film but much, much more. So if it’s action you want then check it out.
Matt the Media Hunter 