Why Extraction 2's Stunts Were So Fulfilling For Chris Hemsworth
Chris Hemsworth is no stranger to action movies, having starred as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for more than a decade as well as in films like "Snow White and The Huntsman." But for the actor, there is nothing quite like suiting up as Tyler Rake, the action hero at the center of 2020's "Extraction." Netflix has gifted us a sequel to the hit action flick in the form of "Extraction 2" and, for Hemsworth, the stunts in this film were particularly satisfying compared to some of the other work in his career up to this point.
In a December 2022 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hemsworth was discussing some of what went into filming some of the film's craziest sequences, including a massive, 20-minute action scene that has been hyped up by the filmmakers for involving 300 extras, a big fight in a prison yard, and setting an A-list leading man on fire. The scene has a lot going for it. Hemsworth felt the experience was satisfying because so much of that was actually happening without a blue screen or copious amounts of CGI:
"There's something so satisfying about that. Not to take anything away from the special-effects-filled sort of Marvel film, but you have a lot of help in post-production there. Obviously, I can't fly, so they help through me that. Whereas in this film, the action is grounded in reality, and so much of it is in camera. So, it's a different energy, and the preparation is a lot more extensive."
Hemsworth previously noted that the prison fight, in particular, was the hardest thing he's done in his career. That's no small feat, given the number of big movies he's been involved in. Fortunately, it sounds like there was satisfaction in the suffering.
Practical, dangerous stunts
The 39-year-old actor made it very clear that he's not throwing any shade at his work in movies like "Thor: Ragnarok" or "Avengers: Endgame." Heck, the Russo brothers, who directed "Infinity War" and "Endgame," are producers on the "Extraction" films. It's just that they are a different animal. Elements of those superhero movies absolutely have to be done with CGI, it's just the nature of the beast. Tyler Rake, however, could exist in our world, taking on very real villains. There's a grounded nature to it that director Sam Hargrave makes full use of.
In addition to the satisfaction that comes from doing practical stunt work, there is a danger as well. For as much preparation that goes into landing a helicopter on a train or lighting a person on fire, anything can go wrong. "Probably the most intense part was not so much the exhaustion levels," Chris Hemsworth said. "But just the sheer terror of all the things that could have gone wrong, but thankfully didn't."
"Extraction 2" hits Netflix on June 16, 2023. You can also check out the official synopsis for the sequel below.
Chris Hemsworth returns as Tyler Rake in "Extraction 2," the sequel to Netflix's blockbuster action film "Extraction." After barely surviving the events of the first movie, Rake is back as the Australian black ops mercenary, tasked with another deadly mission: rescuing the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are being held.