Extraction 2 (2023)

Movie · 2023 · Action, Thriller, Crime · 2h 2m · R · English

Curator score: 3.5/10 (392.2K ratings)

Prepare for the ride of your life.

Overview

Back from the brink of death, highly skilled commando Tyler Rake takes on another dangerous mission: saving the imprisoned family of a ruthless gangster.

Ratings

Director

Sam Hargrave

Production

AGBO, TGIM Films, Wild State

Cast

Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Tornike Gogrichiani, Tornike Bziava, Tinatin Dalakishvili, Andro Japaridze, Justin Howell, Idris Elba, Olga Kurylenko, Sinéad Phelps, Patrick Newall, Daniel Bernhardt, Levan Saginashvili, George Lasha, Sam Hargrave, Miriam Kovziashvili, Marta Kovziashvili, Demetre Kavelashvili, Giga Shavadze

Where to watch

Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

Curator Review

Verdict

A blunt, overstuffed action sequel that largely succeeds on the strength of its set pieces, momentum, and sheer physical commitment. The plotting and dialogue are routinely clumsy, but if you want big, brutal, crowd-pleasing action with a few standout sequences, it delivers.

Best for

  • action fans who prioritize choreography over story
  • viewers who enjoyed the first film
  • fans of hard-edged, modern stunt-driven thrillers
  • people looking for a loud, kinetic streaming blockbuster

Skip if

  • you need sharp writing or memorable characters
  • you dislike extreme violence and body-count action
  • you want a tightly plotted thriller
  • you are turned off by glossy digital action and franchise setup

Overview

Extraction 2 knows exactly what it is: a bruising, high-volume action machine built around one thing, and that thing is momentum. The movie’s best stretches are genuinely exhilarating, especially when it leans into large-scale movement, close-quarters brutality, and the kind of relentless escalation that keeps the body count and the adrenaline rising together.

Worth noting

The downside is just as obvious. The story is thin, the dialogue is often laughable, and the emotional material lands with a thud more often than not. But the film is also self-aware enough to keep pushing toward the next big collision, and that discipline makes a difference. When the action is this committed, the movie can get away with a lot.

Bottom line

As a sequel, it improves on the first film by being more confident and more expansive, even if it remains trapped in the same basic limitations. If you’re in the mood for a muscular, violent, occasionally absurd action showcase, this is an easy recommendation. If you want depth, nuance, or elegance, it’s probably not your movie.

Top Letterboxd reviews

Monty Alexander (3.5★) · 1716 likes

Incredible action, worst writing of all time. Looking forward to the third movie where Tyler Rake has to extract his son from hell.

matt lynch (4★) · 1713 likes

Nothing like a ruthless and insipidly violent piece of trash to restore your faith in cinema.

ale (3★) · 794 likes

who needs a plot when you have chris hemsworth shooting down helicopters on his own with a machine gun

Sydney🚀 (3.5★) · 689 likes

The Ancient Greek saying “know thyself” can be applied to many things. Sometimes it can be applied to putting the pen down and letting someone else write your movie, even though you co-wrote the source material. Maybe you weren’t meant to write movies. Joe Russo. I’m talking about Joe Russo.

davidehrlich (3★) · 646 likes

for a hilariously fake digital oner that calls almost constant attention to its ~50 "invisible" cuts (at one point it goes from the dead of night to mid-sunrise in the span of a few seconds?)… that was pretty cool. the first Extraction was pretty much everything that's wrong with streaming "blockbusters," but this one is stupid fun. the world is full of surprises. action star Goldshifteh Farahani!

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Topics

action thriller, crime, brutal violence, stunt work, set pieces, mercenary, rescue mission, revenge, high-octane, streaming blockbuster

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