Extraction came out at just the right time. I normally wouldn’t have watched this since it looks like your average action movie on Netflix, but since movie theaters have been closed for a while, I’ve kind of been craving this sort of movie experience again. This is the closest thing we’re going to get to a summer blockbuster kind of movie for a little while, and so I was happy to give it a shot.

With a name as generic as Extraction, the premise here is unsurprisingly simple. We follow a mercenary named Tyler Rake, who is given a mission to extract a kidnapped crime lord’s son from the crime lord’s rival. In traditional fashion, the mission turns out to be way more dangerous than Tyler expected, and so he finds himself on a mission where he needs to put everything on the line and confront his own inner demons and blah blah blah. You get the gist. Listen, the story here isn’t anything groundbreaking. It is written by one of the Russo brothers (who are most known for directing the recent Avengers movies), so it is a strong enough script that it never becomes boring. But at the end of the day, you’ve also seen this movie a million times before, and that’s fine.

I think where the movie most stands out is its action, which at the end of the day is the most important thing. Extraction is directed by Sam Hargrave, who is making his feature film directorial debut with this movie. And for what it’s worth, Hargrave makes a solid effort here. I think what he most has going for him is that he’s been a stuntman in Hollywood for a long time now, and so he knows what kind of moves it takes to make a solid action scene. This is on full display here, with some really exceptional choreography and set pieces, most notably from his 12-minute one-take action scene that’s nothing short of impressive. I’m a big fan of the one-take style, and although this is one of those fake one-takes where there’s actually hidden cuts throughout, I still think it’s one of the most impressive ones I’ve seen, with the action transitioning from gunfights, fist fights, car chases, falling off buildings, explosions, and the works. It was insane that they managed to make the whole scene feel as seamless as it does. The rest of the action in the movie is entertaining as well, but I have to say that this scene alone made it worth the watch for me personally.

I think the other big draw for a lot of people is going to be that Chris Hemsworth stars in the leading role, since he has a lot of star power at this point. And for what it’s worth, Hemsworth delivers a solid performance, both in his action tough-guy moments, as well as some of his more vulnerable character-driven scenes. People might also be interested to know that David Harbour of Stranger Things fame (the guy that plays Hopper) is also featured in a minor role in this.

Anyway, I’m never going to say that Extraction is a must-see movie or anything, but I definitely think it’s worth a watch. There’s a lot of people like me that are still in quarantine right now and have nothing better to do, and for those people I think this is the closest thing to a blockbuster that we’re going to be getting for a little while. In a lot of ways, Extraction is your average generic action movie, but it’s thankfully elevated by solid performances, great direction, and some excellent action scenes. Check this one out if you’ve been craving an action blockbuster.

3.5/5