Extraction 2 Provides A Deeper Look At The Tragedy That Is Tyler Rake

This post contains spoilers for "Extraction 2."

When Sam Hargrave released his directorial debut, "Extraction," he introduced the world to covert operative Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), a man solely dedicated to his missions and carrying them out, no matter the cost. With time, it became clear that Rake's outward no-nonsense demeanor is but a mask, as he harbors immense guilt about his past. While "Extraction" explained how these unhealed wounds molded his decisions to save Ovi (Rudhraksh Jaiswal), "Extraction 2" directly situates Tyler as a man who wants to atone for his mistakes. While his past no longer haunts him as it used to, he is ready to put in the work to face his mistakes head-on and protect his family without expecting forgiveness in return.

This makes "Extraction 2" a much more personal journey for Tyler, who is tasked by his ex-wife with retrieving her sister Ketevan (Tinatin Dalakishvili) and her kids from the Tkachiri prison in Georgia. Tyler could have easily refused, given his grave personal situation — he has narrowly escaped death and awoken from a coma only recently, and his body is in no shape for such a dangerous mission. However, given how Tyler is driven by guilt and the need to do better, he accepts, pushing himself to his limits by training extensively for six weeks to prepare himself for the extraction.

The personal nature of the story allows more space for us to look into Tyler's past, and his complicated feelings about abandoning his son. While "Extraction 2" does not try to justify Tyler's momentary, yet life-changing act of cruelty by any means, we are allowed a glimpse into how he's suffered ever since, regretting it at every turn and wishing he had chosen to be a better partner and father. 

After Tyler receives the Tkachiri prison extraction mission, he does not reveal his personal connection to Ketavan and her two kids to his mercenary partner, Nik (Golshifteh Farahani), lest she refuse to aid him. However, the truth is soon exposed, and Nik feels betrayed that Tyler would place such little trust in her. There are moments of tender understanding between the two throughout the film, where both parties are ready to jump into danger just to have each other's backs, and bring crime gangs to justice, even when the situation is dire.

Tyler's dilemma in the sequel can be traced back to Sandro (Andro Japaridze), Ketavan's son, who is led astray by the manipulation of his uncle, Zurab (Tornike Gogrichiani). Although Sandro repeatedly rejects Tyler's attempts to help him, the latter is adamant to do so, as he does not want to abandon a child again. As Tyler inadvertently killed Davit, Sandro's father, in a scuffle initiated by the latter, Sandro has more reason to hate him, and this distrust is fueled by Zurab's toxic manipulation. Sandro is faced with two choices: to side with his mother, who has protected her children from the gang's noxious influence all her life, or to continue the legacy of his father by joining forces with Zurab.

After Sandro escapes with Zurab, Tyler has to face his ex-wife, Mia (Olga Kurylenko), who confronts him about abandoning their son. Tyler makes no excuses for his failure as a father, and apologizes to Mia — although he cannot change the past, he can save Sandro to ensure that no child in his family suffers in the same way again. And he does save him, earning Mia's respect again. Although things will never be the same again, closure is achieved in the end. 

At the beginning of "Extraction," Tyler is an emotionally-closed man who directs all his unprocessed emotions into the intensity of his missions, while desperately clinging on to his directives to feel a little less empty. Ovi's presence rekindles the guilt he had been carrying throughout the years — however, in the end, he makes the choice to save the kid, even though it directly contradicts his mission directives. This experience, coupled with the near-death experience he has toward the end, completely changes Tyler's perception of his trauma and how he chooses to engage with it.

As a result, he is more open to emotions in the sequel, balancing his brave heroics with a sense of quiet emotional strength, which manifests in the conversations he has with those around him. Tyler still feels inherently lonely, but he is reminded time and again that people like Nik will always have his back, and that they will accept him as he is. He still has to atone for the past, but this time in a way that is meaningful. In this case, Tyler's primary mission is to empathize with Sandro and convince him that senseless violence is not the kind of legacy he deserves. Sandro deserves much better: a life devoid of constant danger and instead filled with moments of love.

Towards the end, Tyler and Nik are in prison, and Mia visits the former and says that their son always admired Tyler's courage, and wanted to be brave like him. These words are a soothing balm for Tyler's aching heart, and he can finally move forward, while still treasuring the memories of tender happiness and what could have been.

"Extraction 2" is currently streaming on Netflix.