Extraction 2's Train Sequence Was Filmed With Next To No CGI

Director Sam Hargrave is back again with a follow-up to his debut action-thriller, "Extraction," with Chris Hemsworth returning as the badass black ops mercenary, Tyler Rake. The first entry, although enjoyable in bursts, followed a somewhat convoluted plot — a drug lord's son is kidnapped by a rival crime lord and several parties fight one another to retrieve said teenager to safety, leaving destruction in their wake. If one can look past the sickly-yellow filter and the consistently dour atmosphere of the film, "Extraction" works best as a character-centered action spectacle that uses mayhem as narrative mileage. With "Extraction 2" just around the corner, it only makes sense for the sequel to raise its action stakes and aim for a grander setting.

In an interview with Collider, Hargrave talked about the improved practical effects that are set to drive the sequel's look and feel, including a train sequence that uses minimal CGI for the sake of grounded realism. It's nice to know that the folks involved with "Extraction 2" have tried to keep things as real as possible, as Hargarve believes that the best kind of action springs forth from practical special effects that enhances emotional throughline.

While train-centered action sequences are a staple trope in almost-all action franchises, "Extraction 2" intends to keep things real, even if filming such scenes is "shockingly difficult." Depending on the context of the train sequence, it can come off as especially thrilling with the aid of practical effects, as overuse of CGI dulls even the most kinetic scenes where a lot is occurring at once. Let's look at what Hargrave had to say.

Hargrave went into detail about the specifics of the train sequence, where real vehicles and trained professionals helped create a tense, convincing setup:

"We wouldn't be the first action franchise to do crazy things. However, the DNA of 'Extraction' is definitely to do as much practically as possible, so with the train sequence, we fully embraced it. We were on a real train out in the nether regions... away from Prague...The helicopters are real, we had real stunt performers and para-jumpers, and we had army rangers, one of our performers coming out of the chopper was an army ranger. So this is about as real as it gets, and the only CG that we did was background [and] back plates."

The director clarified that the limited CG that was used was due to a location discrepancy, as the power plant from which the characters jump onto the train was in a different location than the one that the train sequence was shot in. Moreover, even the environmental backdrop, including the snow and the wind generated by the helicopter's blades was real, lending an authentic feel to a potentially gritty story that situates a hardened mercenary at the center.

In fact, per Hargrave himself, the practical effects looked so convincing during post-production that some scenes appeared "fake," spurring the team to lock in on a final shot that looked rougher in comparison to the clean ones. With any luck, if "Extraction 2" is able to fix the narrative issues that its predecessor had, and tell an engaging story that resonates with viewers, there might be a chance for the "Extraction" cinematic universe to soar.

"Extraction 2" premieres on June 16, 2023, on Netflix.