Extraction is the action-thriller debut film director Sam Hargrave, released by Netflix. Hargrave is the stuntman coordinator for the best-selling superhero film, Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame, which directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. Russo brothers also produced this film with a script written by Joe. The script was adapted from a comic titled Ciudad by Andre Parks. The Russo Brothers also brought their close collaborator, actor Chris Hemsworth, as well as several famous players, such as Golshifteh Farahani, David Harbor, to dozens of local actors. The collaboration of these four men produced an extraordinary action film that will satisfy die-hard fans of the genre.
The plot is simple. Ovi, the son of the great criminal kingpin in Mumbai (India) was kidnapped by his rival, the criminal kingpin in Dhaka (Bangladesh). The aim is to ask for a ransom of money. The Mumbai contracted a mercenary team led by Tyler Reke (Hemsworth) to retrieve Ovi. A simple mission turned into a chaotic situation when a third party also wants Ovi. Alone, Tyler, with all his ability must face gangsters, police, military, and other parties, to protect the boy.
Oh my oh my. This action movie is the craziest action scenes I have ever watched. If counted, maybe hundreds of body bags are needed to wrap the dead victims. This film is all about action and nothing else. One action segment in the second act was one of the best action sequences I have ever watched with a series of “uninterrupted (real-time)” shots. The skill of the filmmaker in presenting this action scene that looks so real is worth high praise. It’s insane!
This long action scene of at least a dozen minutes duration and ends with a “big-bang”. The camera moves so dynamically when a chase scene chases a car that moves from one object to another. Impossible, to do a long take (one-shot) this long (there are cut in many moments), but this series of actions still seems unlikely to do. We are like watching video games. Even the camera jumps when the hero jumps from one building to another. Crazy. Other great action films seem inferior when compared to one of these action scenes. The nuances and influences of other popular action films also explored, such as The Raid, John Wick, even The Terminator. Extraction, with its visual style, raise the bar of action films.
With fast, nonstop action, technical achievement, and the high skill of filmmaker, Extraction is by far the best action film of the year. After 21 Bridges, the Russo Brothers seemed to want to release all their emotions after extraordinary success with Marvel films. They now have the money to make whatever they want. Story aspect, indeed not their target, but the substance of Extraction are not as bad as we imagine. The relationship of a father and son becomes the straps of the film. Although there are not many dramatic aspects, our empathy is in the figure of these fathers. They were not ideal figures of fathers but indeed were great soldiers. For Russo Brothers, I look forward to their next film and hope for another surprise.
