Tyler Rake 2

Extraction is awesome. Extraction 2 is more awesome. I could feel it immediately. The story, characters and villain are all a step up. It's intense and suspenseful throughout.

But of course, we're here for the action. And just like the rest of the movie, it jumps a level. It's just as clear and well-shot as in the original. But it's more creative, bigger and harder. It has one of the coolest, longest and most impressive simulated one-takes I've ever seen. I was mesmerized.

The only criticism I have is that it's anticlimactic. The best action scene happens early, second best happens in the middle, and the last action scene is the smallest (but still good). Other than that, I loved this movie.

As someone who constantly trashes the inferior quality of Netflix original movies, I have to give them credit here. And as a huge fan of fight scenes and action movies, I'm ecstatic at the new levels I've seen from franchises like this and John Wick. There are still some movies with quick-cut shaky-cam fight scenes (like Snake Eyes and Mortal Kombat), but hopefully movies like Extraction can end those plagues forever. (1 viewing, 6/16/2023)

As usual, the fights are over the top (body armor may stop bullets, but the kinetic energy is still hammering into the body in real life). But I found the plot, the motives, the backstory all much more interesting in this movie than the first one. Also liked Idris Elba's appearance. As seems to be the norm for this sort of movie, we got to see a variety of exotic firearms, from AKs with no stock to M240s and M249s to RPGs, PDWs, mini-guns, sniper weapons, etc. Also as usual, the weapons have extraordinary effect (not sure how you could get 40mm grenades to explode that close to the weapon that fired them) although hand-grenade explosions do seem to be close to accurate (the RPGs fly more like AT-4s though - RPGs don't really fire that accurately). Lots of bangs, lots of bashing, lots of knives (and axes and shovels and pitchforks), lots of shooting... but the plot actually has a start and a finish (and an opportunity for another one).

Of all the films I've enjoyed in the "super soldier" genre, this is my favorite. The casting is good, mainly for the obvious chemistry between and among the three main characters, Nikki, Yaz, and Tyler. The three act as though they really have been close for years. I haven't yet noticed a miscast actor in the cast, and I have rewatched this film, more than once.

I'm very glad that the seldom seen Golshifteh Farahani is in this film. IMO, she's the prettiest actress on the current scene as well as being very good at her job. Anyway, this is quite a lot better than the typical shoot-em-up action film.

The way this one follows on the first film in the franchise isn't really clear to me because I didn't see the first one. At this point, fans will tell me to shut up, so I probably should. The action in Extraction 2 is a little unbelievable, but it's well done.

The Georgian brothers are not fully fleshed out, so their backstory takes a little flashing back to establish what we are to expect from them. Put your critical thinking on cruise control and just take the ride. It's worth the price of admission.

Update: I've now seen "Extraction", the first film in the franchise, and it was also very good and well cast. Chris Hemsworth, as Tyler Rake, is a good action film star, and so is Adam Bessa, who plays Yaz Khan, brother of Nikki and Tyler's fellow soldier in the story.

The main draw for me, Golshifteh Farahani, as Nikki Khan, is the one who lured me to watch these films. I enjoy looking at her and watching her act, but I can't take the chick flicks that she does outside of this franchise. I won't watch just anything to get a glimpse of her, so at least I'm not a fanatic. ;-)

It was a straight forward none stop action, with all the good reasons that pushes the story forward, and i loved it.

Loved the sequences where the camera keeps following around in middle of the action with no cuts.

Loved how they kept pushing the protagonist to the limits, as much as humanly possible, which makes it feel even more like i'm watching a documentary of some war hero or something.

Loved how the action was outrageous but realistic to some extent which makes the whole scenario believable because the writers respected our minds.

As i'm writing this review, i'm trying to think of something negative to say about this movie and i couldn't find any.

Please make more like this the world needs it.

Edit => on 18 june 2023 (two days later) i finally found something negative to say about this movie, and it's about how the ending is simply not satisfying, i mean there could have been so many better scenarios to end the final boss fight and they settled with the laziest one.

As a sequel to the widely successful and action-packed film Extraction (2020), Extraction 2 (2023) had big shoes to fill. With expectations running high, the film delivers on the action front but unfortunately falls short when it comes to storytelling and character development.

Directed by Sam Hargrave, Extraction 2 once again stars Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake, the fearless and skilled mercenary ready to take on another high-stakes and deadly mission. While the action sequences are undeniably thrilling, showcasing Hemsworth's physical prowess and commitment to performing his own stunts, the film often feels flat and emotionally distant when the bullets stop flying.

The first half of the movie offers a relentless adrenaline rush, featuring tightly choreographed fight scenes, exhilarating chase sequences, and jaw-dropping explosions that seem to have upped the stake from its predecessor. Hargrave proves his expertise in coordinating and executing large-scale action set-pieces, making for an edge-of-your-seat experience.

However, the movie falters in its quieter moments, when the audience is left with a shallow and underdeveloped plotline. The script, penned by Joe Russo, fails to provide any significant character arcs or meaningful relationships for Tyler Rake to navigate, leaving Hemsworth with little to work with beyond his physicality. As a result, the audience is left with a sense of detachment from the central character and his motivations, making it difficult to invest emotionally in the story.

Additionally, the film's supporting characters, played by a talented ensemble cast including David Harbour, Golshifteh Farahani, and newcomer Aanya Pandey, are largely underutilized. Despite their strong performances, their characters are reduced to mere plot devices, lacking any depth or complexity that could have added more layers to the narrative.

In terms of cinematography, Extraction 2 boasts visually captivating and immersive shots of its international locations. However, the film's overall tone feels uneven, as the grittiness and realism of the action sequences are often undermined by moments of forced humor that feel out of place and disrupt the movie's pacing.

Ultimately, Extraction 2 serves up a feast of high-octane action that fans of the genre will undoubtedly appreciate. However, the lack of depth in storytelling and character development prevents the film from reaching its full potential as a truly engaging and memorable experience. It's a thrilling ride, but one that leaves you feeling empty once the dust settles.