This was an entertaining action movie with just enough depth for us to be interested in the characters but not too much that it takes away for why we are all here: kick-ass action with one of our modern-day action hero actors.
I am so thankful that Netflix is giving a platform for these types of movies to be made. If this was a theatrical release it may have done ok but that is the very reason that studios do not greenlight a lot of these movies. They need more than ok. They need a huge box office with sequel and franchise potential.
There is a lot in this movie that is not explained which I am oddly ok with. I wondered a lot about Rake’s (Chris Hemsworth) supporting team but then I just shrugged it off as an action genre trope and just let myself enjoy the action and seeing our main character try to escape this impossible situation.
This movie did commit one of my most hated cinema sins: starting at the end of the movie. I hate this! Starting at the end of the movie and then flashing back two days is a lazy way to engage the audience. It does not give stakes and make you wonder, “ooh how do we get there.” A lot of times it spoils what could have been a great payoff to a great build-up.
Only very skilled filmmakers and writers can pull this off. It’s so rare that I definitely cannot think of a good example off the top of my head. If you have one please leave it in a comment.
I did appreciate having the movie set in India but I do wonder why Hollywood feels the need to always show India under an orange-tinted light all the time.
Extraction is fun and Hemsworth is great as always. Definitely give this one a chance.
