Directed by:
Sam HargraveScreenplay:
Joe RussoCinematography:
Greg BaldiCast:
Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Tornike Gogrichiani, Andro Japaridze, Tinatin Dalakishvili, Ольга Куриленко, Idris Elba, Dato Bakhtadze (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Back from the brink of death, highly skilled commando Tyler Rake takes on another dangerous mission: saving the imprisoned family of a ruthless gangster. (Netflix)
Videos (5)
Reviews (12)
Amazing “single-take” scenes, solid stunt choreography (pity about the blatant CGI in the explosions, crashes, etc., though), without any bollocks, dialogue outbursts or wisecracks during the action; it just rolls along at an exciting pace. And with sheer action filling well over half the running time, there is undeniably much to be genuinely excited about. But... It trips over its own feet with the opening and the ending. The first action set-piece happens in the 20th minute, and all that mandatory “let’s pretend we have a story and characters” filler would be sorted out in five minutes in a timeless action flick. Also, the climax has the problem that the final showdown (itself solid) is significantly overshadowed by all the previous action passages.
()
I liked the first film more because of the more exotic setting, they way it builds-up, and the ending, which was so enjoyable, and which the sequel resets, unfortunately. Regardless, Extraction 2 is a more than fine and, despite the various digital crutches, proper action flick that does without hyperbole and still manages to entertain. I’m looking forward to the third one.
()
If Chris Hemsworth is the successor to 1990s Sly and Arnold, I say yes, thumbs up, because that is exactly how straightforward Extraction 2 is. And that's why it is subjectively a notch higher than the overly mythological and monumental John Wick: Chapter 4. Hemsworth gets his hands dirty, bleeds, burns, shoots down helicopters, kills with a screwdriver, and at least half of it is in one take with no cuts. Anyone whining about the bad visual effects should realize that this is not an A-list blockbuster going into theaters and costing 150-200 million, but it’s made for TV and costing barely a third of that. 9 times out of 10 there are more breathtaking scenes than most genre films will allow you to dream of, in fact I haven't seen anything this intense in a very long time – this is how The Grey Man should have looked like! An exemplary tribute to the craft of action, a masterful work of cinematography, editing and fight choreography. Come on, let’s have a threequel because Hemsworth is king.
()
It makes me proud that the pumped-up and visually irresistible action scene from the prison was filmed right here in the Czech Republic. The stunts, camera, and other related work are top-notch, making Extraction 2 one of the biggest events outside of traditional cinema distribution. How much more shocking it is, then, that the plot, which only serves as a necessary complement to the first installment, stretches clichés that I thought had been abandoned in the 1990s, and the events on the Georgian side of the barricade suddenly become an unwanted parody.
()
Sam Hargrave is steadily building a strong brand in Hollywood. There aren't many stunt franchises like this in the current market, especially ones as successful (John Wick is still the best, let's not kid ourselves). I had high expectations for Extraction 2. I was hoping they'd take the action up another notch, and they succeeded. The one-shot sequence was breathtaking; the stunt performers and especially the cameramen really went all out. For me, the best part was definitely the sequence with the helicopter landing on a moving train; I was absolutely amazed (the film is full of unconventional ideas). Besides the flawless action, the setting has also shifted; we visit Georgia and Vienna. I’m not sure why, but the Indian setting in the first film interested me more. The story doesn’t offer much intrigue (India was better in this respect)... That annoying kid, Sandro, will probably haunt me in my dreams, he's a terrible character... I’m looking forward to the third film, but the first one still holds the top spot for me. I give it 7.5/10.
()
Ads