Today’s quick review: Extraction. Ovi Mahajan (Rudhraksh Jaiswal) is the teenage son of a drug lord. When Ovi is kidnapped by one of his father’s rivals, the boy’s guardian Saju (Randeep Hooda) hires Australian mercenary Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) to rescue him. Tyler successfully frees the boy from his captors, but the mission falls apart when Saju double-crosses him, leaving Tyler and Ovi to fend for themselves in a city full of enemies.
Extraction is an action thriller about a jaded mercenary and the boy he’s sent to rescue. The movie follows Tyler and Ovi as they attempt to escape from Dhaka, Bangladesh, a city where drug lord Amir Asif (Priyanshu Painyuli) controls both the gangs and the police. Extraction takes a straightforward premise and spins it into a tense and satisfying thriller. Top-notch action and a dash of drama make it a strong pick for fans of the genre.
Extraction excels at arguably the most important aspect of an action movie: the action itself. The firefights are tightly choreographed and take full advantage of Dhaka’s dense urban environment. The stunts are fast and brutal, showing off the full breadth of Tyler’s combat skills. The camerawork makes the fights feel frantic and vivid without making them hard to follow. Fans of gritty action will find that Extraction delivers it in spades.
Extraction backs up its spectacle with just the right amount of drama. For all of Tyler’s prowess, he remains haunted by his past. To him, rescuing Ovi is both a paycheck and a chance to die in combat. But as he gets to know the boy, he becomes personally invested in getting him out of the city alive. Extraction’s character arcs are not revolutionary, but the movie handles them well, giving the many action scenes a sturdy dramatic backbone.
Give Extraction a shot when you’re in the mood for something tense, action-packed, and serious. While Extraction doesn’t change the action formula in any significant way, its polished stunts and good character work make it an unusually sharp entry into the genre. Viewers who are okay with violence and an occasionally heavy tone should give it a shot. Those looking for a lighter romp or a more inventive take on the genre may want to keep looking.
For an action thriller about a jaded man who finds redemption by saving a child, check out Man on Fire or Safe. For a similar rescue mission with less elaborate action, try Close. For a martial arts action movie about a hero trapped in enemy territory, check out The Raid. For tight, violent action with even more style, check out John Wick.
6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for strong craftsmanship.