Today's review is Taken 2.
Directed by Olivier Megaton
Written by Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen
Review #181
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sensuality.
Run Time: 91 min
Cast
Liam Neeson...Bryan Mills
Maggie Grace...Kim
Famke Janssen...Lenore
Leland Orser...Sam
Jon Gries...Casey
D.B. Sweeney...Bernie
Luke Grimes...Jamie
Rade Serbedzija...Murad Krasniqi
Kevork Malikyan...Inspector Durmaz
Taken was a by the numbers action thriller that I ripped to shreds when I reviewed it. Then after watching it on HBO I found an appreciation for the film and realized that it wasn't as bad as I thought. In reality, Taken was a pretty good action movie that plot holes aside was extremely entertaining. Fast forward 4 years and we have the inevitable sequel. Now does a Taken sequel make any sense other than to increase everyone's wallets? Of course not. So that's why they made it and that's why it soils the good name it's predecessor worked so hard to keep.
Plot
In Istanbul, retired CIA operative Bryan Mills and his wife are taken hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while rescuing his daughter.
If I were to ask you to come up with a possible plot for a sequel to Taken. Your choices would be very limited if your goal was to continue the continuity from the first story. And that ladies and gents is the biggest flaw of this unnecessary film. The bad guy's kidnap the good guy's daughter. The good guy kills all the bad guy's so now the bad guy's daddy sets out for revenge.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
I'm in no way suggesting that you had to go a different direction with the story. I'm saying the film should never have been made in the first place. Taken was a stand alone film that was such a surprise hit that greed set in and here we all are. There was no need to go another round. But if the powers that be were compelled to do so then a better effort was necessary.
The effort was piss poor at best.
Clearly they felt that suckers like myself would just go see it because the first one was so good. They were right because it's made a ton of cash at present. The difference between those other suckers and my sucker self is that I knew walking in that this flick was going to be a train wreck. Many in the theater didn't. Judging by their positive reactions to the nonsensical stuff that was going on. I was just hoping for some cool action and maybe a scene or two of plausibility.
I got neither.
This was just a run of the mill, get through 90 minutes as quickly as possible endeavor. I'm sure many of you will see this and enjoy it and that's more than OK. Just know that if you had any issues with the first one. You might want to jam a crayon up your nose to make you stupid. Just like Homer did in that episode in The Simpsons. The loss of I.Q. points might help you get through this drivel.
On the 5 star scale. Taken 2 gets the goose egg. 0 stars. With a "Save The Loot!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is Frankenweenie.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
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