Dynamite in disguise, Extraction attracts all action film lovers!
Akash
Actor Chris Hemsworth’s much awaited action-entertainer titled Extraction directed by Sam Hargrave and brought to us by the Russo brothers has finally hit Netflix! Touted to be an out and out action fiesta, this entertainer that has a run-time of under 2 hours assures adrenaline rush and a good pace overall. Does it engage the audiences and turn out to be a worthy watch?
Extraction, the latest Netflix release is all about a mission assigned to black ops mercenary Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), where he has to try and save Ovi Mahajan (Rudhraksh Jaiswal) from gangsters in Bangladesh (Dakha). The film follows a partial non-linear narrative with the majority of events occuring in the flash cut. Ovi Mahajan is a high school student and the son of a bigshot in India. One fine day, when he is out with his friends at a resto-bar, he gets kidnapped by the Bangla forces and this means havoc for the Mahajan family. Enter Chris Hemsworth, the mercenary assigned to retrieve Ovi from the dangerous gangsters of Dakha. From thereon, it is all about whether this mission is accomplished or not.
Though the one-line seems quite easy to digest, the screenplay sure has worked in favour for the makers. Be it the choreography of the action sequences or the presentation by stuntman turned director Sam, the slate is clean and crystal clear with no half chances. Also, the entire film happens in a span of two days and this would keep the audience guessing for a large part.
As for the performances, Chris Hemsworth as Tyler shoulders the film with his praiseworthy work. He aces the stunts and adds style to every mass sequence. Rudhraksh as Ovi Mahajan has a huge role to play and the kid has done a fair job. The other noteworthy efforts with respect to the casting include Randeep Hooda as Saju and David Harbour as Gaspar. Randeep’s effort is evident and David delivers the goods in an extended cameo. Other important characters include Amir Asif (Priyanshu Painyuli), Golshifteh Farhani (Nik Khan - partner of Tyler in the mission) and Suraj Rikame as Farhad (a young boy turned henchman of Amir). While the characters of Amir and Nik Khan were pretty well played with the limited scope they had, the character of Farhad the young boy happened to be an organic plot - point and added the much needed spice to the overall ‘commercial entertainer’.
Now we call this a commercial entertainer as a large part of the film follows high-intensity chase scenes like in films like Mission Impossible and has minimal scope for logical questions that may be raised. However, without this boundary considered, Extraction sure has points to impress its general audiences! A particular scene where Chris takes a first look at the boy sparks off the action quotient of the film and this start point was very well etched out. From thereon, you could barely see them stop running or fighting and the next 70 odd minutes were pure entertainment. Another small issue in the film was the emotional quotient. Though the idea of having an emotional connection between Ovi Mahajan’s character and that of Tyler’s (Chris), was the ideal way to justify their bond, one may think it could have been done in a more convincing manner. Nevertheless, the backstory that Chris narrates from his past is fairly acceptable and serves the purpose.
Technically, Extraction is nothing short of impressive and the Hollywood standards are not compromised in spite of the majority of the film being shot in Mumbai and Bangladesh. Cinematography by Newton Thomas Sigal was excellent and extremely challenging. Some of the long shots that included car chases and crashes were no joke. Music and edit were quite decent too and the stunts are the standout, considering the genre that director Sam Hargrave has opted to thrive on! Full marks to the technicalities! Mention worthy sequences include the long bridge scene, the entire car chase portions and the action that sets out inside a dilapidated building somewhere in Dhaka.
Summing it all up, Chris Hemsworth holds together this action film with his presence and director Sam Hargrave has made sure he keeps the action lovers hooked. Even for the general audiences, Extraction may be a worthy watch for the last couple of twists and the first few minutes that build up to the predominant part of the film that rests on its action blocks! If you are not someone who expects rocket science from your films and enjoy action-thrillers, stream the newly released Extraction on Netflix right away for 2 hours of entertainment!
Verdict:
‘Extraction’ is a worthy watch for the majority audiences with a fantastic presentation of stunts and overall pace!
Rating: 3/5