Netflix found a potential tentpole film franchise when Extraction became a breakout hit back in 2020, providing viewers with a standout performance from Chris Hemsworth and ambitious action from then first-time director Sam Hargrave. Now, Extraction 2 ups the ante in nearly every way and shows the potential for this franchise to grow into something spectacular.
After miraculously surviving his seemingly fatal injuries from the last film, mercenary Tyler Rake (Hemsworth) is closer to stepping into retirement than back onto the battlefield. However, the arrival of a mysterious man (Idris Elba) causes Tyler to change his path, as he’s given a new mission that hits close to home. Tyler is tasked with extracting his former wife’s sister Ketevan (Tinatin Dalakishvili) and her two children from the clutches of the family’s crime lord patriarch. However, the mission becomes more complicated when the family’s equally nefarious uncle, Zurab (Tornike Gogrichiani), starts to hunt them down. Thus, Tyler faces his deadliest challenge yet, testing his ability to evade death again.
Where the first film’s story felt a little all over the place because of how much it was trying to introduce, both narratively and character-wise, Extraction 2 is much simpler and more personal. Even as the film tries to continue threads from the previous film while also building this new narrative, it all comes together smoothly. It’s great how Tyler being thrown back into combat doesn’t happen right away and instead, his journey from near retirement to becoming combat-ready is given the proper time to invest viewers into Tyler’s personal arc. The scenes intertwined with Tyler’s story focusing on Ketevan’s dire situation and building Zurab as an antagonist are equally as intriguing, as they make viewers more emotionally connected to Ketevan’s family and help establish the new storyline that’s unfolding.
Extraction 2 excellently builds out its big mission by creating stakes that are simple and matter while also establishing the start of some strong arcs. But once the mission begins and Tyler is forced into a chaotic fight for survival, Extraction 2 becomes absolutely captivating. Hargrave was rightfully praised for his ambitious and impressive one-shot action sequence in the first film, but here, his efforts truly embody a “hold my beer” mentality. If you thought the first film’s action was mind-blowing, Hargrave somehow finds ways to top it and proves himself to be a noteworthy force in the action genre. There’s just this smoothness between all the explosions and hard hits that make the action incredibly pleasing to the eye. Plus, it’s great how Hargrave doesn’t shy away from the brutality and blood of fights since it makes them much more thrilling and impactful.
It’s legitimately impressive to see Hargrave handle all these big set transitions and fast-moving choreography so confidently while still finding time to direct a great story and characters. But it just shows how noteworthy Hargrave continues to be as a director and the action he provides is even better to watch on the biggest screen you can find. Along with Hargrave’s vision driving Extraction 2, the performances also make the film an engaging ride. Hemsworth once again delivers a brooding performance that makes him a terrifying force in fights, but also brings out some surprisingly strong emotion within Tyler that make viewers care about him on a deeper level. Golshifteh Farahani gives a great supporting performance as Nik that helps balance out Tyler and she showcases some potential to have the spotlight on herself in the future.
Gogrichiani also delivers a strong villain performance that constantly makes the stakes and deadly nature of this mission feel high. Plus, it’s awesome how his motivations are simple—he wants to regain what’s been taken from him to maintain his sense of power—and the tension that grows between him and Tyler is incredible to watch. Extraction 2 is a fantastic thrill ride that rarely lets off the gas, but when it does, it doesn’t lose slight momentum.
Tyler’s personal arc delivers more than enough emotion to keep audiences hooked through the very end. While Tyler is also dealing with the complicated nature of this mission, he’s also dealing with untreated scars from his past that continue to haunt him in this mission. Viewers will really feel like they get to see a more personal side of Tyler and the way that the emotions of his story continue until the very end is very satisfying and impactful. Family and failed fatherhood continue to be an interesting thematic driving force in his story and connect greatly to the new characters he comes across. It’s a meaningful way for this chapter in his arc to close and the personal feel of his arc is maintained well throughout the entire film. Also, it’s kind of nice how the film sets a bigger future for this franchise, as it feels completely earned and is full of exciting possibilities.
Extraction 2 is everything that fans would want in a sequel. It elevates all the incredible action and moments of the first film thanks to Hargrave’s ambition and commitment to creating action that’s unlike anything currently happening in the action genre. The new story is simple yet strong and features some more emotional arcs that fans will love. Extraction 2 proves that this franchise might be the most exciting original film franchise that Netflix has in its library.
