Dumb but marginally entertaining

Rating: 6/10 (2 November 2012)

Taken 2, like too many Hollywood sequels, is a shameless money grab. The first Taken, while not a bastion of intelligence, was entertaining and had a semblance of suspense. For those of us who had seen the original, though, its clone, Taken 2, was entirely predictable.
I decided to see Taken 2 solely because of my high regard for Liam Neeson. The always reliable Neeson did not disappoint me here. His performance lent an air of credibility to the film, which its underwhelming screenplay lacked.
Despite the failings of Taken 2's screenplay, it was saved from utter failure by its excellent ensemble cast, high production values, and well done action sequences. Add to that its short runtime of 92 minutes and Taken 2 was worth the price of admission, albeit barely.