Extortion (2017)
June 29, 2025
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Movie Review: Extortion (2017)
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Extortion is the kind of sun-drenched nightmare that grabs you by the throat—and doesn’t let go until the final, gasping shot. Set against the postcard-perfect backdrop of the Caribbean, this overlooked survival thriller turns paradise into a prison and asks one simple, terrifying question: How far would you go to save your family?
Kevin Riley (Eion Bailey) is a successful doctor on a dream vacation with his wife (Bethany Joy Lenz) and young son. But when a detour to a remote island goes wrong, the family finds themselves stranded, dehydrated, and dying—until a local fisherman (played with unpredictable menace by Barkhad Abdi) offers help… for a price.
What begins as a desperate deal quickly spirals into a deadly game of cat and mouse, with betrayal, greed, and vengeance escalating at every turn. The film’s tension is relentless, boosted by the stunning irony of its sunlit setting. Director Phil Volken smartly contrasts the turquoise ocean and white sands with growing dread—beauty masking brutality.
Bailey delivers a strong performance as a man unraveling under pressure, forced to commit unthinkable acts in order to protect what matters most. Abdi, best known for Captain Phillips, once again proves he’s a master of layered menace, keeping viewers constantly guessing whether his character is a villain, a victim of circumstance, or something in between.
The pacing is tight, especially in the first hour, with plenty of moral ambiguity and unpredictable twists. However, the final act stretches plausibility a bit too far, with a few convenient coincidences that dull the emotional payoff. Some of the secondary characters also feel underdeveloped, and the ending, while satisfying, could have hit harder with a deeper emotional punch.
Verdict: Extortion isn’t a perfect thriller, but it’s a tense, sun-soaked survival story with strong performances and enough ethical gray to keep your pulse elevated. It turns paradise into peril—and proves that sometimes the most dangerous predators are human.