Surprised at how good it looked, but under-delivers and gives you what you'd expect

Rating: 6/10 (18 October 2012)

Taken was simply an awesome action flick. It sort of catapulted Liam Neeson into macho action star hall of fame. When I heard about Taken 2, I sort of groaned (although I am all for sequels to great movies) but I didn't expect much when I heard of it. However, then the trailers changed my mind. It actually looked like a solid sequel, great action scenes and a decent, if not understandably predictable, storyline. What the film actually delivered was sort of more of what I anticipated before I saw the trailers. It was truly, absolutely and apologetically delivered to make money on the first one. The story was nearly as smart, the action was actually significantly toned down and, while there are always plot holes and reality issues with action films, this one had a lot. The nit pickers will find a million things in the film to complain or laugh at. Some of the plot holes are significant and hard to ignore. However, Liam Neeson's on screen chemistry is also hard to ignore and he carries the picture as he often does. There are some undeniably cool car chases although I feel like I've seen too many European, tight street, car chases.
Liam Neeson is good as mysterious likely former-Government killer Bryan Mills. I hoped to get more back story on his character but we get more of the same as we did in the first one. Neeson didn't seem quite as committed to his character in the second outing and his skill set didn't feel quite as impressive but he was good. I don't dislike Famke Janssen but she's never really impressed me. I found her annoying and over-dramatic in this movie. Her and Neeson's chemistry doesn't feel quite right but at the same time I'm glad she came back for the sequel. It gave the story a different direction than the first. I really thought Maggie Grace did a good job though. She had excellent father-daughter chemistry with Neeson and she plays a good damsel in distress type role even though she wasn't really the one in danger this time around. Rade Serbedzija looks the part for a great villain. Unfortunately, I felt like he was completely underused and there was no great buildup to a showdown with him. He seemed almost bored in his scenes and his vengeance quest felt so downplayed.
I might be harping on the cast and I shouldn't be because they all do okay...but just okay. I wanted more action, more drama, and more back story on these characters. They had so much untapped mystery to the character of Bryan Mills and they answered no questions whatsoever about his obviously shady past. Simply put they didn't put real effort into the script for the film. French director Olivier Megaton seems to often leave gaps in his films. At least the others I have seen like Columbiana and Transporter 3...it felt like they could have been so much more but not enough effort was put into the story. Taken 2 delivers a lot of potential but never really delivers anything solid. The buildup to showdown with the villains culminates in Neeson fist fighting some random third string character who apparently is super powered and nearly defeats him. The main villains death scene (huge spoiler here) ends with Neeson grabbing his face and shoving him against the wall...which kills him. It was just really a sub part delivery. If you loved Taken, which I did, then you will likely enjoy Taken 2 but you won't love it. Its really a huge step down from the ideas they had. Its simply sub part all around. 6/10