Film Review: Taken 2

Director: Olivier Megaton

After the huge sleeper success of the first film, it came as no surprise when a sequel was swiftly announced. The main question being how much the plot would differ in the second one and how could they match the slick action of the first film. Regardless of reviews it's clear that this film will be a huge commercial success compared to it's budget of $45 million with early estimates from opening weekend already topping the $100 million mark.

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) dispatches another villain

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is forced back into action as a trip to Istanbul with his family forces him to face the families of the Albanian gang that he killed in Paris in the first movie. They want revenge for their deaths by taking Mills back to Albania to be tortured in killed in front of the community so they look to kidnap his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) and his ex-wife Lenora (Famke Janssen). The formula isn't exactly the same as the first but the overall idea is.

The acting is capable from all involved but the plot is what really lets the film down, on many occasions it is downright laughable including Bryan working out where he is by counting in seconds how far he has gone in a truck when kidnapped and by relying on sights and sounds that wouldn't necessarily be there hours later. After the movie we discussed the obvious plot holes for a good 10mins and could have gone on for a lot longer but Kim running round Istanbul throwing grenades with reckless abandon is an obvious highlight.

Kim Mills (Maggie Grace)

Some of the dialogue especially when Neeson comes to take on the baddies has ended up being a bit cliché and hammy. The original film was actually quite violent which fitted the slick action that ran through the film but to appeal to a wider audience they cut out the more violent scenes to reach a 12A rating which leaves it looking very tame. The plot actually dawdles through the opening third with little to keep your interest as you know what is going to come and the only saving grace is that some of the dialogue and plot is so bad that it ends up being unintentionally hilarious at times.

1/4 laughable plot is clumsy and far fetched