Taken 2 Movie Blurb by Shale October 5, 2012 Here's a disparity. Among aggregate critics on Rottentomatoes this movie only got an 18% favorable rating, yet 76% of audiences liked it, including me. The composite to the reviewers' criticism is "Taken 2 is largely bereft of the kinetic thrills -- and surprises -- that made the original a hit." In other words this is a sequel. As such, it picks up nicely where the other one had a happy ending. Daddy Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is trying to teach his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) how to pass her driving test where she failed the parallel parking. She skips out on their appointment to be with her boyfriend, who daddy with his special set of skills as a retired CIA operative goes to the BF house to retrieve her. All is not well with his ex Lenore (Famke Janssen - always Jean Grey to me) and her rich husband so he offers to take the family to Istanbul after he finishes a little security gig there. For those who saw the first movie, you will remember how the Albanian gangster who kidnapped Bryan's daughter and other girls for the sex trade was dispatched appropriately by Bryan. Seems that lowlife has a pissed off lowlife daddy (Rade Serbedzija) who wants revenge. He sends his goons to get the whole family but Bryan is cagey enuf to spot them and calls Kim while he and Lenore are being chased. Bryan Instructing Kim to Stay Focused I guess after her ordeal in the first movie it would be unrealistic for Kim to be some frightened screaming girl. She plays more of an active role in this movie, helping her dad by following his instructions. Kim on the run from the baddies However, Bryan and Lenore get taken ... Lenore Being Taken But you know that's not the end of it because Bryan has a special set of skills to get out of these situations. Bryan's Special Set of Skills As said, I liked this movie and its only real fault to me is being a sequel and lacking the impact of the first unfolding of this story. But, there were moments of suspense and action and yes, a young woman who can't parallel park a car might be able to do a car chase in Istanbul with coaching from daddy. OK, there were a couple other scenes requiring a suspension of disbelief but isn't that a requirement just to buy a ticket to these movies?
I am a big fan of the first taken movie, it not only had professional cinematography but great action, suspense and originality. Now this sequel i am ashamed to say was a money grab by the producers. Now Luc Besson and Robert wrote the original script without being pressured by their superiors to be limited to a marketable plot, unfortunately thats what has happened to Taken 2.
I saw trailer for this movie 2 days ago and was surprised to see that Šerbedžija has relatively big roll in it. Go Rade! :sunny:
