“Extraction 2”, the highly anticipated sequel to the action-packed thriller, is a worthy successor and it delivers the relentless and adrenaline-fueled action that we all wanted. Director Sam Hargrave does an excellent job building upon the success of his last film. This is a movie with a thrilling journey. We love big-budget, super-violent adventure movies and this one is it for Summer 2023 as far as I’m concerned. Chris Hemsworth delivers the heroic action once again as the character Tyler Rake. Rake of course is the skilled mercenary with a troubled past. We feel for this guy. We want him to win. We connect with the guy who has been beaten not by other men, but by the knowledge of having experienced the loss of his own family, and the guilt that eats him up. Later in the movie we find out why.

Hemsworth always has the goods when it comes to charismatic and physically demanding performances, and he has far more range then actor Dwayne Johnson or the action stars of the 80’s. The action in “Extraction 2” is simply jaw-dropping. The movie rarely lets up with the action. The fight scenes and the gunfighting are superior. Our good friend, former NZSAS commando Damian Porter did an excellent interview with the legendary Chili Palmer, on training Chris Hemsworth. Chili served in the Tier 1 special operations unit of the United States Army, know as “The Unit” or what many call Delta Force. Chili was involved in numerous high-risk missions, including hostage rescues and counter-terrorism operations and then transitioned to the movie industry, where he worked on several blockbuster films. Three of those were The Gray Man, “Extraction 1” and of course “Extraction 2”. As Damian noted, Chili was responsible for training Hemsworth for his role which required the actor to perform intense physical stunts and fight scenes. That  experience in the military gave him a unique perspective on how to train actors for these types of roles, and he emphasized the importance of safety and proper technique. He pushed realism -and of course – “Bullet Count”. His expertise shows. He has a small role as a Dhaka driver.

Sam Hargrave’s background as a stunt coordinator is evident here as each action sequence is meticulously crafted and filled with heart-pounding moments that keep us on the edge of our seats. The film has a gritty, realistic approach to violence. The raw and visceral quality, amplifies the intensity of the action. As for the storytelling, we get some nasty bad guys, and they do a good job of trying to take the character Tyler Rake down. The top notch action scenes don’t just end at the prison break. The movie gets better and better. We are treated to a fantastic moving train scene, and we get to see how Rake handles a few helicopters and top tier bad guys who are in pursuit of him. Extraction 2 expands the world established in the first film. The plot takes unexpected twists and turns, keeping the audience engaged and guessing throughout.

Don’t expect this to be a deep film, with layers of introspection where Rake commits himself to understanding his thoughts, feelings, and sensations. This is not the movie for lots of self-examination. Go se Deer Hunter or Coming Home for that. The movie does weave together all the requisite elements of revenge, redemption, and sacrifice. Therefore Hargraves creates a multifaceted narrative, one that goes beyond mere action spectacle. Yes, there is the exploration of moral dilemmas. What is the young boy that Rake rescues going to do once he finds out that his father was killed by his mother and Rake? We also realize that Rake was married to the sister whom he rescues from the prison. There’s a tight scene between Tyler and his ex-wife but it doesn’t unwind as much as it could have.

The cinematography is stylish and dynamic. There is enough frenetic energy here for two viewers. I loved the change in scenery too; the movie goes from India, to Georgia, to a prison, to a train, to the snow and more. Our eyes keep moving, and the change from urban environments to natural landscapes are the scene breakers that we need to move the story forward, but to give our mind a chance to process the action that we’re viewing. There are of course shortcomings. Yes, the movie could have had more character development in Rake’s partners, but I didn’t expect this movie to go there. It would have been great to see more about the character Yaz Khan, played by the actor Adam Bessa, and his sister Nik Khan played by actress Golshifteh Farahani. There’s a great scene of Yaz fighting a woman in the stairwell while his sister fights a man on the rooftop. Hargrave’s job is to move the movie along. We aren’t watching a slow burning movie like “Mullholland Drive”. The destruction that Rake does at the end of the movie is enjoyable to watch. Call me a baby, but there’s a line that the wife utters to Tyler on the phone which made my eyes mist up. I think the movie ended on a strong note, and took us where we needed to go. Sure, the movie is make-believe but I walked away from it thinking I need to be a better man.

“Extraction 2” is a worthy sequel that delivers on its promise of non-stop action. Hargrave’s masterful direction and Hemsworth’s outstanding performance make this a must-watch for action film. Minor flaws and all, this movie rocks.