John Wick ushered in a new era of action films with his all-guns-blazing, choreography-heavy shoot-em-ups. The films were brutal, pretty, and above all else, showcased just how impressive action movies should always be. But what no one expected was that some films would challenge that, and even fewer, like Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake in Extraction, would succeed.
Extraction explores mercenary Tyler Rake, who, without a care for his own safety, takes on a job to save a young boy in India after he was kidnapped for being the son of a drug lord. What follows is an action spectacle that feels like a single take and has spawned two sequels, with the next one already greenlit. With the film making the rounds on Netflix, it’s a great time to praise an unlikely but awesome action movie.
Extraction Beat the Odds and Became a Hit Franchise For Chris Hemsworth
Chris Hemsworth is a stellar actor when it comes to action, comedy, drama, and many other genres; however, being that he’s often seen as Thor from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, his best role can often hold him back. Many actors in the MCU have struggled with films that are a departure from what they did, and while many succeed, others find it harder to make a mark outside of wearing a super suit.
As a result, names like Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Evans lean more into dramas to great effect. But Hemsworth is one of the few who can stick to action and deliver even better performances, beating the odds of typecasting in the best way possible. Extraction proves this more than any other movie, as well as it’s almost impossible to see Hemsworth as Thor when he’s fighting to survive.
Now, Extraction has become so much more than a one-off action movie and has instead become Netflix’s main source of action, with two movies that have already made a significant mark. It’s a franchise that’s a certified hit and more than deserves to be in the conversation alongside franchises like John Wick and Nobody. But where those films are blatantly obvious in why they work so well, the nuances of Extraction are what help to make the movie a standout and still watched over and over by fans.
Extraction isn’t like John Wick in many ways, but instead marks the inverse of the idea the latter introduced. John Wick is a simple story for a simple character, and the action fuels his journey. Extraction is a simple story with a complex character, and the action feels like a fight to survive every step of the way. These are only a few reasons why Extraction is still liked by fans and only scratches the surface of why it’s still popular today.
The most obvious reason is that the movie is shot in a way that feels like a single take. It allows the momentum to be maintained and instills chaos throughout the movie that feels merciless. It’s one of the greatest one-take sequences of the modern age, and for good reason. Seeing this all unfold while one man is protecting a kid is a pitch-perfect setup and execution.
However, Tyler Rake’s character is complex, and the fact that he’s not fighting for revenge but simply fighting to complete a job and, if he’s lucky, dies along the way, makes the action even more palpable. There’s so much to chew on as the chaos continues that it’s nearly impossible to be bored. Plus, it all shows a side to Hemsworth that audiences don’t get to see often.
Chris Hemsworth is a bona fide action star, yes, but it’s hard to imagine him as such a great tactical fighter, and yet, he’s beating the odds with every scene and showcasing impressive stuntwork that rivals everything he did as Thor. It’s fun to see and even more fun to watch him get out of bad situations, often just barely. But his story, being fueled by the idea that he just wants to keep a kid safe, makes him even more endearing than some modern action stars, and also makes Extraction such a fun time.
Extraction worked as a movie due to its simple story and a character that seemed to be one-note, but his complexities made him so much more. The sequel, while it didn’t need to happen in terms of narrative, was equally as impressive and put Tyler Rake in some wild action scenes that surpassed the original. However, its success and the announcement of a third movie prove what it is about these movies that audiences love so much.
Much like John Wick, simplicity is the key to success with some of the best action movies, and Extraction delivers that. The action is complex in design but simple in execution. Chris Hemsworth commands the screen both in his verbal and physical acting, and the story is always interesting enough to keep viewers engaged. Great movies can have deep themes and layers to stand out, but Extraction proves that not all of them need that. It calls back to the era of ’80s action movies, where films like Die Hard had a layered character taking on a dangerous enemy in a location, barely surviving by the end.
There’s no reason for a franchise like Extraction to stop being great, and it’s because of the simple formula for success it follows. It can be fun background noise, an exciting film for movie night, or part of a larger action movie marathon. But the fact that it’s been years since the original and it’s still charting on Netflix proves just how impressive these movies are. It also shows that even if Hemsworth leaves the MCU, he has more than enough options to choose from for entertaining fans, and there’s no reason why Extraction can’t be at the top of that list.
