Chris Hemsworth Was Actually Lit on Fire Several Times for Extraction 2

(SPOT.ph) Black ops mercenary Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) has come back to life—only to face possible death once more in the Netflix sequel Extraction 2.

After embarking on a brutal mission to rescue the kidnapped son of an international crime lord in the first film, Rake is now on the move to save the family of a Georgian gangster from prison.

ICDYK, Hemsworth is currently in Manila along with director Sam Hargrave to promote Extraction 2 in the Asia Pacific, which is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on June 16. Both graced the red carpet in a fan event at the SM Mall of Asia on June 5—and we got in on details behind-the-scenes.

Also read: Chris Hemsworth Is Coming to Manila

Chris Hemsworth and Sam Hargrave on the most challenging scenes in Extraction 2

Every new action movie hopes to raise the stakes—this we can expect with Hargrave at the helm. In 2020, Hemsworth told SPOT.ph that the first installment was “the most exhausting ride [he's] ever been on,” so we can only imagine how the sequel will attempt to surpass its predecessor.

To give us a glimpse of what of just how intense Extraction 2 is, Hemsworth shared that 95% of the action is filmed on-camera, which is pretty impressive to hear given that the first movie is almost entirely packed with visceral action sequences.

This approach sets Extraction apart from many other movies, including those in the Marvel universe, where visual effects often take center stage.

“A lot of [Marvel films] is visual effects post-production. To have all this on camera, 95% of it, takes a lot more preparation, rehearsal, and skill,” Hemsworth said in the APAC press conference. “I think the audience appreciates it more because there’s more of an authenticity to it. There’s a truth to it.”

But the true highlight of the movie is a scene of Hemsworth fighting off multiple prison guards while his jacket is engulfed in real flames. Actual fire—not the CGI kind. According to Hargrave, Hemsworth was lit on fire seven or eight times to successfully film the 20-minute action sequence.

“I enjoyed lighting Chris Hemsworth on fire,” Hargrave said in the APAC press conference.

The scene was filmed at night in the middle of winter in Czech Republic, adding an extra layer of difficulty to the already daring sequence. Needless to say, Thor has got nothing on Rake.

“Everyone would get ready. We would have this flammable liquid on my jacket. I’d punch throat, kick a few guys. The instruction was if the fire is not out, cause it should burn off by the end, to just put it out yourself,” Hemsworth said. “Great responsibility! You’re lit on fire and you have to put it out yourself.”

Another challenging scene for Hargrave was when they had to land a helicopter on a moving train. You read that right—there was an actual train on location moving at 40 to 50 miles per hour. Then again, Hargrave was a stunt director before he was director (Extraction was actually his directorial debut), so it’s not much of a surprise that he managed to pull it off.

Watch the trailer below.

Extraction 2 premieres on June 16. The first movie is now streaming on Netflix.

Also read: Chris Hemsworth on Extraction, and Why It's the "Most Exhausting Ride" Ever