A Rare Feat Of Successful Repetition

Rating: 6/10 (3 March 2017)

Despite being a pretty darn good overall movie in its own right, the original "Taken" succeeds primarily because Liam Neeson makes the leap from solid character actor to leading man. His performance is what carries the show. In this sequel, the filmmakers are able to replicate pretty much the same scenarios as that original and get away with it because of the raw emotion involved in both the stories and the characters.
For a basic plot summary, "Taken 2" sees the same gang that abducted Kim (Maggie Grace) in the first movie now looking for revenge against parents Brian (Neeson) and Lenore (Famke Janssen).
There are two reasons why this film works so well despite using much of the same subject matter as the original:
1. The emotions behind the simple revenge-based plot are so visceral. Grace's persona of Kim is so innocent (but yet true-to-life) that one cannot help but root for her either to be the hero or the one being saved by the hero. Simply put, she's the on-screen daughter that everyone wants to protect.
2. With that first crucial plot step in place, Neeson's magnificent character is given a chance to shine. With Grace providing the dramatic moments, Neeson brings the action and intensity with a passion. Film buffs recently learned that Neeson's distinctive baritone means nothing without a great plot/drama behind it (see: "Unknown"). When given the opportunity to hone his character, though, Neeson can provide relentless intensity with as little as a few words.
Overall, "Taken 2" is a strong sequel to the original. It pretty much contains all the "same stuff" as the first one, but the characters are still relatable and the action is still top-notch. If you really enjoyed "Taken", this will probably not be a disappointment for you.