Escape Plan: The Extractors is a fast-paced thriller with great use of both high and low action elements. It is based on the life of a security expert called Ray Breslin who finds himself on a life-threatening rescue operation when a kidnapped tech-heiress and his girlfriend are kidnapped by the terrorists in Latvia. Breslin and his crew descend into the jungles of the savage, mazing prison of Devil’s Station, upping the stakes. The movie touches on issues of revenge, endurance, and sexual hypocrisy particularly when Breslin is confronted with the ugly realities surrounding the abduction as well as his own betrayal. The best part was that the movie managed to balance its fast-paced scenes with instances of vulnerability as Breslin almost feels guilty and lost in the middle of the chaos.
Visually, the movie is a masterpiece in the form of gritty claustrophobic shots that help the audience enter the prison atmosphere of oppression. The bleak, industrial atmosphere of Devil’s Station is convincingly duplicated through the production design, which contributes to the dangerousness of the atmosphere. The action is well choreographed, (sewer infiltrations, firefights, etc) and it is fueled by editing and good special effects that further enhance the visceral aspect of the action. The tension is increased by the score, which mixes the pulse rhythms with the creepy undertones, which make the suspense and emotional beats more intense. All these factors are used to produce a ruthless rhythm that makes the audience watch till the end.
Finally, the item that remained with me was the message of the film, which was persistence in the face of mayhem. The fierce will of Breslin as well as the episodes of friendship and self-sacrifice appeal to a great feeling of human endurance. Although some points of the plot are not new, the emotional center and the visceral action make the movie something more than the average genre stuff. The Escape Plan: The Extractors is an exciting adventure that made me feel both excited and reflective on it, the rush of adrenaline and the memory of how strong it will be to struggle against the darkness and the abyss.
