Review of Extraction (2015) by Quincytheodore — 19 Dec 2015

Bruce Willis has been taken, by this lackluster second rate action movie.

Extraction is done by the book, as in every step of the way is filled with action B-movie cliché. Strangely, the cast and plot have decent potential, yet it ends up mediocre due to severe lack of chemistry and uninteresting thriller aspect. There are some action fun from combat, though they are brief, too few and scattered throughout disjointed mandatory set pieces.

Bruce Willis can deliver a good action movie and Extraction is primed for humorous quirky relationship with younger actors, he has done this gig before in RED. However, he looks constantly disgruntled and unsympathetic here. It doesn't help that he's held hostage for most of the time and even in some scenes with other leads, there's not a shred of chemistry to be had.

Kellen Lutz, from The Legend of Hercules (not The Rock one) is not exactly bad. He just has an outstandingly plain on-screen presence, he wears action hero template with not much more personality. Gina Carano is capable, but she's relegated into supporting semi love interest character and her martial art credential isn't capitalized enough. The two share most screen time and a couple of them do work in their favor, but it'd be more interesting if the role is swapped and it's Carano who tries to save her father.

As for the action pieces, they are strikingly rigid, although still presentable. Cue the typical bar fight, a venture into night club, some chase scene and then random warehouse shootout. The movie tries to create some thriller subplot, actually quite a lot is invested on it, but this isn't Tom Clancy's script. It's a lot of build up to an unexciting end. Worse yet, the rest of the characters are typical villains, their henchmen and a couple of obnoxious extra.

Extraction is the bare basic action film, it may barely entertain a lazy weeknight with few action sequences, but it's lacking identity and charisma despite its favorable cast.