With Netflix’s profits soaring through the roof amidst the global lockdown, the video-streaming company decided to drop yet another film to win over its subcontinental fans- and garner some more. What they entirely overlooked in this despicable lust for minting quick money was a good backstory- and Extraction, without one, has it all falling apart.
Netflix has cashed in on an innate adulation for foreign hunks in the Indian mind- and released a title that goes all guns blazing, Rambo-style.
Perhaps it is our typical colonial hangover that is to blame for overcomplacency on Netflix’s part. Domestic gossip-circles went gaga when it transpired that the Russo Brothers were in charge– and that Thor himself would have a role in this kill-all fest. Extraction is cardinally about a rescue mission that entails a vicious quagmire of politics, establishment-cartel nexus, bullets, and unending perils dotting every minute of the screenplay. Tyler Rake (played by Chris) is a superhero mercenary for hire, who takes up the assignment to free Ovi Mahajan, the son of an international drug lord (Ovi Mahajan Sr., portrayed by Pankaj Tripathi) based in India. What makes the film an eyesore is because despite having deep pockets for cinematographical excellence, all of the violence appears induced and is only mandated to drive the story forward. Would it have been too much of an ask to know about their rivalry, how they came to be, and a slice of their legacies? Certainly not, but surely it would have made the film bearable. Netflix has cashed in on an innate adulation for foreign hunks in the Indian mind- and released a title that goes all guns blazing, Rambo-style.
There has also been valid criticism on certain other fronts. The entire film appears to have attempts of a one-take gimmickry- mastered by 1917- but fails miserably at it. Also, one would be justifiably irritated by an unearthly sepia-tone that has been implanted on almost every daylight scene. What adds to this is that despite basing the storyline (whatever remains, that is) in Dhaka, Extraction does not pay tribute to the nuances of the native language- with Tyler’s ‘Proman Dao‘ making its way as a viral meme. It was also frankly somewhat uncomforting to see the Russo Brothers paint the Bangladeshi Police force, as also its prestigious Rapid Action Battalion, in a tainted manner. You know how bad that is when the filmmakers depict Dhaka as a national capital under the siege of a single drug baron, with prime lieutenants playing his fiddle. Nothing adds up in this wilderness of rifles, bullets and death.
A quick dive into the statistics would help us comprehend better:
The ratings in the chart above have been normalised out of a score of five. It would also help to notice the patterns in the Google Search Trends (India):
As expected, interest in the film peaked on April 24, when it was released worldwide on the Netflix platform. I have also superimposed the search trends for ‘Extraction Download’- a phrase many had used to download pirated copies of the flick online. The red search trend indicates that Netflix’s pricing strategy still compels many to look into alternative streaming platforms, including pirated content sites. As Netflix premiered the movie for the worldwide audience, it received considerable interest even from countries outside South Asia. However, Bangladesh had the highest search density for the film. The corresponding chart is attached:
All in all, this story of hostage rescue turned out to be a big let down, sometimes bordering on the plain unrealistic. Gore is a genre in itself, but is watchable only when aided by an equally alluring script. High on promises and little on details but for the rampage, the Russo Brothers could have crafted something much better from their arthouse. Let’s just hope that something more redeeming comes soon- as a balm to cure the headache that is Extraction.