The Movie: Extraction
The Director: Sam Hargrave
The Cast: hris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Golshifteh Farahani, Shivam Vichare , David Harbour
The Story: Tyler Rake, a fearless black market mercenary, embarks on the most deadly extraction of his career when he's enlisted to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord.
The Review:
For the most part, I haven't been a big fan of Netflix branded movies. Partly because they just don't look very good and partly because I wish I could see them in the theater with this movie being a prime example. Still, I went in with an open mind and knowing that the Russo brothers on board as producers probably weren't going to cut many corners when it comes to creating an action spectacle. I mean, these are the guys who directed four of the biggest Marvel movies ever and they brought Thor himself with them to star in the movie.
I have been a big fan of Chris Hemsworth ever since he first appeared as Thor and it's nice to see him get an opportunity to really shine in a performance outside of Asgardian mythology. Watching him duke it out gun-fu style like Keanu Reeves in John Wick or Iko Uwais in The Raid: Redemption was an interesting shift for a person normally known for wielding a magical hammer and using lightning bolts to smite enemies. The fact that Hemsworth has maintained a level of peak physical perfection for many years now gave him at least some measure of credibility and I was happy to see him be able to pull off legit fight scenes as well as a few high flying stunts.
One of the things I was really looking forward to seeing in the movie is a twelve minute action sequence that was filmed to look like it is one continuous shot. The scene is intense and very well put together and it's pretty clear that director Sam Hargrave came from a background in stunt work. The movie nerd in me had a great time trying to spot all the moments where he hides the camera cuts and I think I'll have to go back to make sure I caught them all. Overall, I was very impressed with all of the action sequences and the big finale definitely had me on the edge of my seat although be prepared for a slog through the middle of the movie as there's lots of talking and minimal action.
While I appreciate Netflix as a streaming service, this is the type of movie that deserves a theatrical release. I know they've done that a few times for Oscar qualifications and it really should be part of their overall strategy. People can say all they want that their home theater is super fancy but it will never be the same as being in a theater full of people sharing the experience of watching a movie on a movie theater sized screen and sound system. Okay, small rant is over. To finish up, I'll mention that the supporting cast is solid across the board with standout performances from Golshifteh Farahani and Randeep Hooda.
The Verdict:
Extraction pulls out all the stops, escapes with a victory, and removes any doubt that Chris Hemsworth is a big time action star. The movie can be seen on Netflix at your convenience.
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