On DVD and Blu Ray - "Taken 2" (2012) - Those who enjoyed the simplistic, no nonsense approach utilized so well in the first installment will find themselves wholly displeased with this thoroughly uninspired sequel- it looks like the first film, yet trips itself up with ridiculous contrivance and some of the softest death-blows I've ever seen in a serious-minded actioner.
A seemingly tired Liam Neeson returns to pick up a paycheck as ex-CIA operative turned bodyguard, "Brian Mills". This time our hero ends up fighting off a group of bad guys intent on exacting revenge for the deaths of the undesirables in the first film. Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace return as our hero's ex-wife and daughter, respectively- how they all end up in Istanbul, exactly when and where our villains need them to be for there plans to unfold, is one hell of a bit of happenstance that reeks of extremely lazy writing. Strange because once-upon-a-time action genre master Luc Besson (also the producer of both films) and screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen, who co-wrote the first film, return to churn out this mess. It's as if both men weren't quite sure how and why 2008's Taken worked so well.
I place most of the blame on Director Olivier Megaton, the hack who's given us Colombiana and The Transporter 3. There's shootouts, explosions, a car chase and several hand-to-hand fight scenes- yet there isn't an ounce of tension or emotion involved whatsoever. Megaton simply shouldn't be Directing action films- then again, Besson hired him for the job...
Skip it.
4.0 outta 10
Director: Olivier Megaton
Starring: Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, Luke Grimes and Rade Serbedzija
Runtime: 92 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sensuality
FWIW-
Taken (2008) - 8.0
I can see how people are not taken with this movie. However some cheap thoughts. It was amazing tradecraft for Maggie to throw granades to so her Dad could guide her. The stupidist move in the movie is when he leaves his wife, maybe hide her at least. I think if you have children this movie hits all the parental parinoia and dog whistles. I thought it was a good movie and look forward to three which is supposed to be even more terrible. All movies of this genre ex cia, special forces or hit man are fundementally the same. Liam Neeson elevates the Taken experience better than anyone currently killing twenty to thirty people an hour.
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