It didn’t take long for Extraction to become a lockdown sensation—the action-packed and fast-paced film quickly rose the ranks to become the most viewed Netflix original film ever. The film tells the story of a mercenary (Chris Hemsworth, a slightly less immortal Thor) hired to rescue the kidnapped son of a crime lord, who is being held in the drug underworld of Dhaka, Bangladesh. But the stark difference between the trailer and the actual movie was what was striking. While the behind-the-scenes footage showed Dhaka as dusty but colorful, the finished film was color-graded to exaggerate and dramatically change the look of the city. There was something odd about the aesthetic of the location, covered in an off-putting yellowish tint.

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For most viewers, Extraction was their first exposure to Bangladesh, a country that despite being the eighth most populous country in the world is seldom visited by international tourists. So how does the film’s color palette portray the actual country? Dhaka is huge, dusty and hot, so it does seem somewhat sepia. But Bangladesh is very vast in terms of its landscape.

 

There’s a phrase for this distinct color palette: It’s called yellow filter, and it’s almost always used in movies that take place in India, Mexico, or Southeast Asia. Oversaturated yellow tones are supposed to depict warm, tropical, dry climates. But it makes the landscape in question look jaundiced and unhealthy, adding an almost dirty or grimy sheen to the scene. Yellow filter seems to intentionally make places the West has deemed dangerous or even primitive uglier than is necessary or even appropriate, especially when all these countries are filled with natural wonders that don’t make it to our screens quite as often as depictions of violence and poverty.

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Extraction is hardly the first movie to employ such an unfortunate color palette evoking third world poverty: Darjeeling Limited and Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Anglo-American directors used it in scenes depicting small villages in India. Breaking Bad was subject to internet mockery for its ‘Mexico filter’ which it used to highlight any scenes taking place south of the border. Netflix’s Fauda, an Israeli television series following an Israeli Defense Forces commander, was recently taken to task for its soured depiction of Palestine.

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These associations are in marked contrasts to those of cooler tones, like green and blue, which are commonly used to symbolize a healthy and thriving environment. Films like The Wolf of Wallstreet use this hue to subtly highlight the wealth and modernity of New York City—but while this accurately portrays the city as seen through the eyes of a billionaire, a yellow filter superimposed over palm trees and lush landscapes feels forced, and inauthentic.

 

Media representation matters because it influences how people think of such groups or places. A lack of positive and equitable representation can be internalized and used to implicitly limit inclusion and diversity of people in different industries, spheres and types of roles. Recently there have been commendable advancements in the development of minority-led film and television, from Black Panther to Crazy Rich Asians and Never Have I Ever. But images of the Global South oversaturated by yellow filter are a disservice to the viewers of popular film and television, and unfortunately reveals the chasm Western popular culture still needs to cross to create more equitable, accurate and inclusive representation.