Where I Watched It: Netflix
English Audio Description?: Yes
I’m always upfront. I didn’t like the first Extraction. I think the second one is about on par for me with the first, so if you did like the first one, you will probably like the sequel. Honestly, the reviews haven’t been terrible, I just want more from a film.
in a world where stunt coordinators are now directing films, we have the Extraction movies, which set up elaborate stunts meant to wow an audience. It’s not like I stopped enjoying action films when I lost my vision. I still enjoy a good john Wick, my last review of Politie Society was pretty much a rave, and I enjoy the over the top stuff Tom Cruise pulls off in every mission Impossible or Top Gun. I just need a story, plot, and characters.
Even last years Ambulance, which allowed michael Bay to play with extended car chases and drone work was more complete of a film, with better written characters than Extraction. Extraction 2 reminds me of a franchise Chuck Norris might have done, where sense is thrown out the window. I don’t remember the first film well, but apparently Tyler (Chris Hemsworth) is clinically dead. Quite literally, at the top of the film, they’re trying to save his life in some remote hospital, and the first chunk of the film is basically “will he live?” “Will he ever be able to walk again?” And all those questions. Then, while he’s still recovering from being dead, idris Elba shows up and tells Tyler that his wife’s sister married a drug lord and her life is in danger. So, of course, Tyler has to perform another Extraction.
From that point on, I stopped caring about anyone. There’s very little character development, with scenes dedicated to dialog almost feeling like an inconvenience to the film. Like, Tyler could be extracting anything. He could be extracting a sheep, and I don’t think the movie would lose anything. He has to save humans from other humans. That’s just it.
Sure, there are a ton of stunts. The film is almost one big action sequence. There’s one that lasts almost uninterrupted for twenty minutes, shot like a single shot sequence. But, again, for me, I need to be invested, and i just am not. Tyler is barely a character, and just like the first film, i don’t remember who he extracted, and won’t remember this extraction when the inevitable third rolls around. He could literally and truthfully extract anyone, because there’s no emotional weight given to the actual extraction. Gone are the days of Denzel rescuing Dakota Fanning in Man on fire. honestly, i didn’t even care for Man o Fire that much, but Dakota Fanning was more developed than anyone in this film.
you’ve heard with great power comes great responsibility, I say with no stakes, come no reward. While the audio description does an excellent job of tracking the absurd amount of action, this is just a big loud film that only wants to be big and loud. It has no depth. There are films that have managed both, so we can actually have both. But, if non stop action is your thing, then go for it.
I just want more.
Final Grade: D