I thought the first Extraction movie was a solid outing for first-time director Sam Hargrave. It wasn’t perfect, often bogged down due to pacing issues, but it was one hell of an action movie, with some scenes ranking as some of the best action we’ve seen in recent years. So now we have a sequel, which reunites Hargrave with Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake and the Russo Brothers. So, does Extraction 2 improve upon the original? Let’s find out!

Extraction 2 opens where we left off more or less in the first one, with Tyler’s fall from the bridge. Whether an act of sheer will or divine intervention, he not only survives his mortal wounds but is promptly rescued and given medical attention. From there, it’s about his rehabilitation before the inevitable job pulls him out of his recovery slump. Unlike the last film’s mission though, this one is far more personal for him, as the person in need of extraction is his former sister-in-law. She’s being kept inside a maximum security prison in Georgia along with her children against their will at the behest of her criminal husband, also incarcerated. Her husband is one half of a vast criminal conspiracy within the country and while he was serving his time, he made sure to drag his family inside the jail as well, for “their protection”. Fed up with living in isolation within the prison, she somehow gets her request for extraction out to a shadow organization, who in turn recruits Rake for the job, knowing his personal connection to the family.

One of the main issues with the first Extraction was that the quiet moments really interfered with the pacing of the movie. While the action was frantic and unrelenting, the movie didn’t really know how to handle the calmer moments of reflection. Thankfully, Extraction 2 seemingly learned from its mistakes. While there are certainly moments of quiet in the sequel, it handles them far better. The combination of having a personal interest for Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler, as well as overall better pacing, makes the movie flow better. The story is still somewhat barebones, but at least it seems more engaging and gives Hemsworth’s character a bit more to chew on.

But you’re not watching Extraction 2 for the story; it’s just the excuse for the action. And let me tell you, the action is bonkers in this movie. The first movie had a really fun faux one-shot that lasted around 12 minutes, with some fairly obvious digital stitches bringing it all together. Extraction 2 also has a faux oner but the stitches are almost invisible this time around, giving a real sense of illusion that all of this is happening in real-time.

The scene in question lasts a resounding 21 minutes and features everything from one on one duels, fighting dozens of goons, a car chase, shootouts and a wild conclusion aboard a moving train. It really has to be seen to be believed and hats off to Hargrave, his team and the cast for bringing it all to life. Between this and John Wick: Chapter 4, actions fans are being spoilt this year. And like that Keanu Reeves-led movie, Extraction 2′s action is shot with clear cinematography and nice long shots, allowing us to actually see the action. That said, subsequent action scenes don’t achieve the same dizzying heights as that oner in the first act, which made the final showdown feel a bit anti-climactic as a result.

Extraction 2 may not have a stellar story or memorable characters, but it stands tall in terms of delivering action. It’s sometimes jaw-dropping but sometimes fails to live up to the hype. In my opinion, both from a story perspective and a technical one, it’s an improvement from the original but it’s not a must-see like John Wick 4 was. But I definitely commend the director, stunt team and Hemsworth and films like this continue to champion why there needs to be a stunt category at the Oscars. On a technical level, this is some great stuff.