Extraction

Extraction

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda, Golshifteh Farahani

Directed by Sam Hargrave

More often than not, when you get someone who's not a director directing their feature film after success in other parts of the industry (either be it a screenwriter, actor, or producer), the result is something that's a bit disjointed, as they rely heavily on their knowledge of what they do to express their film's main point.  Sam Hargrave is a well-known and well-respected stuntman who did work in several MCU films, and for the first time he took the director's seat in the graphic novel-inspired film "Extraction," and the result is what you'd expect from a stuntman - loads of fights, gore, and violence with very little plot or storyline.  However, while I often discourage this, I was actually entertained by "Extraction" due to the stylish sequences and the sheer charm that is Chris Hemsworth.

Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is a mercenary for hire with a painful past that gives him a death wish in whatever he does, and decides to take a job rescuing Ovi Mahajan (Rudhraksh Jaiswal), the young son of a crime lord in India who was kidnapped by rival crime lord Amir Asif (Privanshu Painvuli).  He manages to rescue the kid as he battles not just Asif's men, but the corrupt Indian police force and Saju Rav (Randeep Hooda), a henchman of Ovi's father who's working for his father since he can't pay the mercenary's bounty.  As they evade certain death again and again, Tyler and Ovi also bond and open up to one another, learning to trust each other in a world where trust is expendable.

The MCU has forever changed not just the cinematic landscape for superhero films, but also future projects that are associated with the directors, writers, stuntmen, and actors of the franchise.  Last year's "21 Bridges" saw Chadwick Boseman starring in a film that was produced by frequent MCU collaborators Joe and Anthony Russo.  "The Current War" reunited Tom Holland and Benedict Cumberbatch (although it was filmed before they joined forces in "Infinity War").  Tom Holland again rejoined with "Infinity War" co-star Chris Pratt in "Onward."  With "Extraction," there's several MCU connections - Hargrave was a stuntman for several films, Chris Hemsworth starred as Thor, David Harbour gives a cameo performance and is also set to star as the Red Guardian in the upcoming "Black Widow" movie, and Joe Russo served as a screenwriter for the film.  I'm just including this bit of info because I'm a MCU fanatic and there's no other real reason than that.

Back to the film itself, it hearkened back to the simpler time of the 80s action blockbusters where the hero is pretty much bulletproof, never misses a shot, can endure lengthy and horrifying injuries without a scratch, and where the main villain sits behind his exquisite mansion while his henchmen do all the dirty work.  Is the script itself simple?  Absolutely.  Mercenary with a heart broken by past loss embarks on a one-man rescue mission against numerous lackeys to rescue a kid who's at first just a bounty but as the two face death again and again they open up about their lives and become trusting of one another.  This is an action film, not an Oscar-bait period dramatic piece, and Hargrave supplies the action in spades, which can be appreciated and valued more because of his lengthy work as a stuntman and stunt coordinator for some of cinema's most profitable action franchises.  He knows his stuff, and you can see that in how effortlessly he gives us copious amounts of action sequences that are incredibly stylish and entertaining, and shot with precision and care (including a spellbinding "one shot" take of an intense car chase through the streets of Dhaka that's edited seamlessly into making it look like one continuous shot). 

Chris Hemsworth is the driver of this action vehicle, and there's very few other actors you'd trust behind the wheel.  Even though he's typecast as the God of Thunder, he brings the metaphorical thunder here as he easily dispatches men left and right in ways that'd make John Wick jealous (even living up to his last name by using a rake for a uniquely gory kill).  Yet he's not just a Terminator with no soul or emotion, but he's fueled by heartbreak that gives him a death wish in the sense that he's not afraid to literally destroy his body to accomplish his job.  Not only that, he showcases emotion especially in a touching scene between Tyler and Ovi, when Ovi asks him several questions about his life and he opens up to the young boy (even though it's almost laughable because it feels like the most inopportune job interview ever), and proves that Tyler Rake is more than just a mindless killing machine.

While it does live up to the traditional action film tropes, "Extraction" is fueled by several intense action sequences, stellar editing, and the sheer presence of Chris Hemsworth as he once again proves his action prowess.

The Score: A