The Chris Hemsworth thriller Extraction hit Netflix with mixed reactions — something common among the work of the Avengers cast. Extraction allows Hemsworth to step away from Thor, the character that launched him to superstardom. However, critics have been less kind to Extraction than to Hemsworth’s Marvel films, and the lukewarm reception fits in with other non-Marvel films that star actors known for their MCU work.

In Extraction, Hemsworth plays mercenary Tyler Rake, who is hired to rescue the son of a crime lord from the clutches of a rival. It sounds like the plot of a hundred other action movies, and it often feels like a retread of Man on Fire or Taken. Extraction has amazing camera work and strong performances that set it apart from others in the stale genre. Still, its gratuitous violence and ignorance of social issues keep it from achieving greatness.

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Whether audiences will have a warmer reaction to Hemsworth's Extraction remains to be seen, but the film’s lukewarm critical reception points to a larger problem with the Avengers cast outside of Marvel. Few have had commercially or critically successful films since picking up their respective mantles. Robert Downey Jr.’s Dolittle tanked with critics and audiences; it currently sits at an astoundingly low 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the film notoriously lost Universal a heap of money. Scarlett Johansson’s recent Ghost in the Shell remake didn’t fare much better. Even critical darlings like Chris Evans’s Snowpiercer failed to gain traction in theaters.

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These are all incredibly talented actors. Hemsworth’s performance in Extraction is one of its strongest elements, and Johansson received an Oscar nomination for her work in 2019’s Marriage Story. Twice-nominated Downey was a household name before Iron Man. Considering Evans’s brilliant turn in Knives Out, and, further back, Tom Holland’s brilliance in 2012’s The Impossible, the talent isn’t the problem. So, what’s keeping the Avengers from consistent critical and commercial success?

Pigeonholing plays a part. Marvel makes solid blockbusters, and Hemsworth has become synonymous with Thor. Audiences aren’t always willing to accept big-name stars in new roles. This has been happening for decades; Mark Hamill’s on-screen career never took off despite headlining Star Wars. Hamill played Luke Skywalker in six films spread over 42 years. In contrast, Hemsworth appeared in seven films as Thor — eight if you count Doctor Strange — over a span of only eight years. Thor has become part of his identity to audiences.

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However, Marvel itself plays a larger role in this problem. As the studio, and parent company Disney, grow to enormous size, the combined company is taking a lot of movie oxygen with them. Theaters need billion-dollar grossers, which leaves less room for mid-budget films. Compounding the problem is that it’s difficult for actors to work simultaneously in multiple franchises: Hemsworth’s Men in Black International and Downey’s Dolittle show that launching one successful series doesn’t guarantee another. That leaves many blockbuster actors to take smaller roles — to varying degrees of success. Evans’s Gifted, for example, was well-liked but came and went quickly; Downey’s 2014 drama The Judge had a similar problem. Now, many of the stars are moving to the small screen. Evans is currently promoting his next project: a limited series, Defending Jacob, that will appear on Apple TV.

If Hemsworth and screenwriter Joe Russo aren’t big enough names to land a theatrical release for Extraction, there’s little hope for smaller, slower films. This is a shame because Marvel’s success is built on its cast. They’re all terrific actors who deserve roles that can showcase their range. Extraction is fine, but Hemsworth essentially plays a superhuman in the film. Audiences rarely reward his riskier performances, and until that happens, the Avengers will be left with more of the same.

More: Netflix’s Extraction Cast Guide: Where You Know The Actors From

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