There is probably nothing better than getting to work with a friend you have known and trusted for a long time. Director Sam Hargrave has been one of those good friends and long-time collaborators for the Australian star actor Chris Hemsworth. Movie fans may be familiar with their action movie Extraction (2018), but the origins of their relationship date back to the Avengers saga.
Hargrave worked as a stunt double and stunt co-ordinator on many memorable films, including The Avengers (2012) where Hemsworth recalls their first encounter as when "a wonderful friendship was created, and with a lot of trust". The two then continued working together on films like Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Infinity War (2018) and Endgame (2019).
Hargrave then came into contact with filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo, who gave him the green light to direct an action movie with their company AGBO.
And so we got the excellent kidnap/rescue movie Extraction. The second film Extraction 2, which premiered in June, proved to be another massive success on the streaming service.
Netflix recently held an online media event where Hemsworth and Hargrave discussed the story and the feedback they received for their latest outing.
Chris Hemsworth and Sam Hargrave. Photos © NETFLIX
Congrats on the well-received on Extraction 2. How do you guys feel about it?
Hemsworth: Yes, thank you very much for the warm welcome for the new film, appreciate it guys. You know we talked about a sequel during the shooting of the first film. Initially, the character was supposed to die and never come back. But I think the studio and ourselves realised we had something pretty special on our hands and we thought about where the character could go on. We talked about the backstory of the character and where he'd come from and what influenced him to end up in this position. And then we realised that not a whole lot of that was on screen. There's really only one scene in the first film where you have any real understanding about the emotional drive to the character. And so it was really exciting to dig into him again.
Sam, this isn't your first time working with Chris obviously. What is it about him that made you want to work with him again?
Hargrave: I mean look at the guy. That's a good enough reason right? [laughs] Filmmaking is one of the most collaborative art forms out there. And when you get the opportunity to work with someone like Chris, who is not only supremely talented in his lane, which is the acting and action, he's also so collaborative and knowledgeable about storytelling and writing, and you know where to put the camera. And so it makes things easier when you have somebody like him, inspiring you and helping lead the way. So it's, it's always a pleasure to work with Chris.
Hemsworth: We're good friends and that really makes the job much easier.
Just like the previous movie, Extraction 2 was written by Joe Russo. How closely did you work with Joe on this story this time around?
Hargrave: I worked very closely with Joe on this script and outline. And then the iterations of the script came through. Chris also worked very closely. I mean, he and I spent most of the time working together during last Christmas vacation. We'd already started shooting and we had a decent idea of where it was going, but a lot of the specifics and character dynamics we worked on, on breaks and holidays. So we both spent a lot of time working on it together and then very closely with Joe.
Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2.
The stunt sequences on the new film are just amazing. Have the stunts, fights and action sequences gotten harder or easier for you?
Hemsworth: The familiarity with learning the routine and the steps in the fight choreography, I guess becomes easier. And some of it is familiar, and the picking parts from either other films or certain fight sequences. But each time it is like starting again and it just takes a certain amount of athleticism, so I have to come into this film physically prepared in a different way than ever before. With movies like Thor, it was more aesthetic and about building muscle, and looking bigger and round. But it wasn't overly functional, whereas this film was about stripping a lot of that down. Being able to move more and more flexibility functionality. But certainly, having someone you trust and you've worked with before, there's a shorthand that makes it easier.
Hargrave: I think the challenge with each new film is there's so many great movies that come out every year. So it was more like, 'How do you compete?', 'How do you keep up with the level of action that keeps the bar getting raised?'. And so again, working with somebody as talented and hardworking as Chris, I think you look at each other and say how can we push each other to do something that we'll be proud of in 10 years from now, and try to make it something memorable for the fans.
Sam, having worked on a lot of action films, how do you keep it fresh and exciting when you're directing action or fight scenes?
Hargrave: Well, that's a tough thing to do. I try to look at it like a fan myself. I'm a fan of action movies like Mission: Impossible. So when I approach action, I think what would I, as a fan, want to see? What would I enjoy? And then how can I do that in a way that's interesting or maybe hasn't been done before?
Director Sam Hargrave and Golshifteh Farahani as Nik Khan on the set of Extraction 2. Jasin Boland/Netflix
Chris, it takes a certain type of man to take on an entire army the way Tyler Rake can. What do you think his soft spot is and what makes him relatable or human to other people?
Hemsworth: There's a pain in the struggle that we all experience in different shapes and forms. I think the vulnerability to the character which is buried deep underneath the sort of tough exterior is ultimately what people empathise with and connect with.
What do you think are some of the main differences between working on Extraction and Marvels films?
Hemsworth: What's different for both of us having worked on a lot of Marvel films is you have incredible action and incredible visual effects. But a lot of it is visual effects. It's post production. To have all of this in camera on 95% of it takes a lot more preparation and rehearsal and I think scaling from the stunt side of things. And I think an audience appreciates it much more because there's an authenticity to it. There's a truth to it. You know, it's not like watching a video game, you're watching something that is so real.
Is there a possibility to see a continuation for the franchise in the future?
Hemsworth: We wouldn't be here without you, the audience, so thank you so so much. I know we've only just released Extraction 2, but is anyone interested in seeing more of Tyler Rake in the future? Well guess what? We're already talking about Extraction 3.
Tinatin Dalakishvili as Ketevan and Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2.
EXTRACTION 2 Chris Hemsworth and Sam Hargrave interview for Extraction 2 (2023)
(L-R) Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake, Miriam and Marta Kovziashvili as Nina, Tinatin Dalakishvili as Ketevan and Andro Jafaridze as Sandro in Extraction 2
