The sequel to the action-packed Netflix film, Extraction, is here and it's ready to blow our minds. With an even more ambitious approach than the first film, Extraction 2 required an enormous amount of dedication from the cast and crew.
The result?
An astonishingly explosive action film with meticulous attention to the tiniest details.
The Art of the One-Take Scene
In the first film, director Sam Hargrave wanted the audience to feel as if the action was happening in real-time. To achieve this, he decided to film a major action sequence as one continuous shot, a technique known as a "oner".
This intricate 12-minute-long sequence included a car chase, a pursuit up some stairs, a fight in a building, a jump from one rooftop to another, a fall off a canopy, a fight in the street, and another car chase.
To film some of the parts, Hargrave strapped himself to the hood of a vehicle, allowing him to quickly switch to a handheld camera when needed.
This film wasn't only full of stunts for the actors but the director too. However, Hargrave is no stranger to that, having previously worked as a stunt coordinator in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and many other movies.
The Making of the 12-Minute Sequence
The team shot 36 different segments, which were then stitched together to create an impressive 12-minute seemingly continuous scene with no visible cuts.
This required camera moves by foot and by the harness, and of course, the actors had to be able to endure extended fight scenes.
From planning to rehearsing and shooting, it took four to five months to bring the scene to life. It then took 10 days to film it.
For some of the fragments, they needed to do over 20 takes. Despite the difficulty, it looked like the crew kind of loved doing it all.
Raising the Bar in Extraction 2
In Extraction 2, the team decided to up the ante with an even larger scene filmed in a similar way. This time, the sequence consisted of three main parts: a prison break, a high-speed car chase through the woods, and action on a moving freight train.
The prison part alone took over four months of preparation and required 400 stunt performers.
For the next part, they created a huge car chase with all kinds of vehicles involved. The production rented more than 150 vehicles and purchased another 116.
Many of them were modified before filming because they had to handle the practical effects and actual flips. Even the explosions were real.
The Train Sequence
The third part of the sequence began when Chris Hemsworth's character got on a train with a girl. This part of the sequence also required some visual effects, for example, showing an exploding helicopter.
But the trickiest bit was landing another helicopter on the rooftop of the moving train. It was especially hard for the director as he filmed it with a handheld camera and had to run toward the helicopter.
Overall, this whole 21-minute sequence took nearly a month to film. They've raised the bar so high that we can only guess what they have in mind for the third film.
Fun on the Set
Despite the intense filming process, the cast and crew never forgot to have fun. For example, it was exciting for Chris Hemsworth and Sam Hargrave to pay tribute to the lead character's name in the first film.
After the second movie was done, Hemsworth was delighted to share with the fans how they make all those fight sounds happen.
Conclusion
Extraction 2 is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the cast and crew. From the intricate planning and execution of the one-take scenes to the fun moments on set, the film showcases the magic of movie-making.
While we can only speculate what the third film has in store, one thing is certain: the team behind Extraction is committed to delivering high-octane, immersive action sequences that keep the audience on the edge of their seats.