The Guardian reviews The Extractor, an Indonesian action thriller directed by and starring martial arts star Iko Uwais, in which he plays a soldier named Timur tasked with rescuing researchers held hostage in the jungle. Though the plot follows a familiar hostage-rescue template, the review argues the film distinguishes itself from generic direct-to-video action fare through unexpectedly tender touches, including flashbacks that reveal childhood connections between the soldiers and their adversaries.

The film was originally titled Timur, meaning "east" in Indonesian, a name carrying connotations of hope that inform its softer emotional undercurrent, before being rebranded for wider commercial appeal. Alongside well-executed hand-to-hand combat sequences, the reviewer highlights striking imagery blending nature and warfare, such as fish swimming past gun barrels underwater and a butterfly landing on a rifle's sights. The Extractor becomes available on digital platforms from 7 September.