This was an excellent flick, and I am happy that Netflix has stepped into the gap to do some action flicks that don't hit the big screens any more. I don't know that I realized just how much I miss such films until I sat down to watch Extraction 2. If it weren't for films like this, there wouldn't be much in the way of action stars. I know that you're probably jumping up and down going, hey, what about John Wick? Well, except for that one. But if you saw JW4, you know that film arc has come to a close. But I digress...
Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Tyler Rake, a military vet turned contractor. If you saw the last film, you know that our lead character took some serious injuries and it implied that he was dead, or at least his continued life was seriously in question. This film opens with a quick recap of that fateful end of the first film, and you'll quickly have to suspend your disbelief when it comes to the amount of damage that our hero can soak up and keep living. I won't spoil it, but just assume that he's a super hero and able to put up with things that would kill any normal human, or any several humans.
Speaking of the John Wick franchise, the action and fight scenes in Extraction are grittier than the JW series, although there are certainly gun-fu elements in both, as well as a great mix of martial arts surrounding the gunplay. I'm reminded of John Woo in his heyday, and if you've never seen any of those films, your next stop should be Hard Boiled. You'll thank me later.
One thing about Extraction 2 is that the other team members working with Tyler Rake are excellent as well, and action stars in their own right. A set piece this big wouldn't work without some other actors doing some really amazing work. Golshifteh Farahani and Adam Bessa are really the unsung heroes of this film, because everybody knows Chris Hemsworth and he is a herculean on screen presence. Farahani and Bessa don't come with the same level of reputation, but still hold their own.
We even end up with some emotional attachment to various characters because of their relationships and what happens to them all. A lot of action films seem devoid of this, but Extraction 2 gives this homage without being overly saccharine.
If you like action films at all, I highly recommend this!
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