Extraction Review: Chris Hemsworth's staggering action deserves a theatrical release but falls short on story

Chris Hemsworth reunites with Avengers: Endgame's co-director Joe Russo for Extraction. Helmed by Sam Hargrave, the Netflix flick is a visual treat.

By Dishya Sharma

Updated on Apr 23, 2020 | 06:45 PM IST | 7M

Extraction Review: Chris Hemsworth's staggering action deserves a theatrical release but falls short on story

Movie Name: Extraction

Extraction Director: Sam Hargrave

Extraction Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Priyanshu Painyuli and David Harbour.

Extraction Stars: 3.5/5

The last time I watched a movie on an OTT platform and wished it was released on the big screen was 6 Underground. The Ryan Reynolds starrer directed by Michael Bay was worth a theatrical release purely for the jaw-dropping stunt sequences. Almost six months since the Netflix movie's release, I found myself experiencing the same emotions as I watched Extraction. A year after Avengers: Endgame, Joe Russo and Chris Hemsworth reunited for the action flick. The Russo Brother hands over the directorial chair to Marvel's famous stuntman Sam Hargrave while the Avengers: Infinity War director pens the screenplay.

The international film sees a few seasoned Indian actors. This includes the talented Randeep Hooda and Pankaj Tripathi. They are joined by Rudhraksh Jaiswal and Priyanshu Painyuli. The film also stars Black Widow actor David Harbour. The plotline is simple: Chris plays Tyler Rake, a fearless mercenary. His skills are put to test when he has to rescue the kidnapped son Ovi (played by Rudhraksh) of an imprisoned international crime lord (played by Pankaj). Tyler ventures into the deadly mission which takes him through the underworld of weapons dealers and drug traffickers in Dhaka. In the process, it is shown what makes him fearless and how his and Ovi's life changes forever.

Without a doubt, Extraction will be counted as one of the best action films of 2020. From the word go, director Hargrave put his best foot forward and blows your mind with every frame and leaves no stone unturned to make Extraction a visual delight. The two-hour flick constantly keeps you on the edge. There came a point where I felt I was in a live-action video game as I watched the movie unfold. Sam's directorial skills and cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel are commendable. Making the best out of the OTT platform, the duo doesn't shy away from exploring the gore and raw side of the mafia world.

Chris, Randeep, Rudhraksh and Priyanshu surrender themselves to Sam's vision. The four actors leave an individual mark, not overshadowing each other's performances. Extraction presents a never-before-seen version of Chris. The Thor: Love and Thunder actor is a treat to the eyes in every scene. Be it when he meditates underwater to his knife fight with Randeep or his emotional confession about his son, his character is layered with ease.

So is Randeep's character Saju. Out to rescue his boss aka the drug lord's son Ovi, you are convinced he's not got the best intentions at first. However, as the movie unfolds, there a sense of revelation that not everything that meets the eye is true. Apart from his character portrayal, Randeep gave Chris a tough competition in the action sequences. Honestly, I had to watch the duo's fight sequence again because it was difficult to keep your eye on just one of them.

Priyanshu delivers an impressive performance as well. Playing the Pablo Escobar of Dhaka, his earnest performance as the brutal and apathetic don lingers in your head much after the movie ends. Rudhraksh complements Chris in every scene. He not only helps Chris enhance his performance but also manages to keep the focus on himself during numerous scenes. These characters were backed with a great blend of background scores that kept the film's pace going.

While there are several impressive elements in the movie, Extraction has its flaws. The biggest being the flat storyline. The inconsistent graph of the script does not allow you to devote yourself to each character completely. As soon as you found myself investing in a character, the script takes an abrupt shift thus detaching you from the parallel stories weaved into the movie. Another disappointing point was that Sam did not explore Pankaj Tripathi and David Harbour to their full potential.

Final Verdict: Should you watch Extraction? I would scream, "Hell yeah!" It is a feast for your eyes and an adrenaline rush you haven't felt in a long time.