I found it irresistible, but please don't make Taken 3.

Rating: 8/10 (9 October 2012)

This is the case with most action movies: We all love the original, so much, that they bring us a sequel. The sequel is good, but not as good as the original, and from there, the series usually ends or keeps on going. That is the case with Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Mission: Impossible, and most notably, James Bond.
But this is the problem with those: After a while, it gets really old, or ridiculous. Die Hard is starting to lose its gold, with a fifth movie coming out next year. There were a few times where James Bond has developed mold, the last time was Die Another Day. But thanks to that one, Bond came back with Casino Royale, his best adventure.
And with that, I lead us to Taken 2. Taken was a hit back in 2009, and it kick started the new improved career of now 60 year old Liam Neeson. I had a blast watching him annihilate the group of Albanians that captured his daughter Kim(Maggie Grace) and sent her off to the sex trade. It was wild, and though not a whole lot of story, it was good for what it was.
But when I read the info for Taken 2, I thought, "Here we go again." A movie like Taken, though enjoyable, doesn't need a sequel. But it's Hollywood, so they felt they must. I was going to see it regardless, but I didn't know if it were a good idea. It is, actually, a good idea, and luckily it is not that bad case of de ja vu that I was expecting. It is a rare sequel that is just as good as the original.
I don't know how long it has been since the events of the original, but nobody has quite shaken it off. Bryan(Neeson), the ex C.I.A man with those amazing "set of skills", is back, and he is still very protective of his daughter Kim and his ex wife Lenore(the sexy Famke Janssen), who is having marital problems of her own.
While doing some re-con work in Istanbul, Kim and Lenore fly over there for some family time. Big mistake. Little do any of them know that there are still a group of Albanians out there ticked off and looking for revenge. Bryan and Lenore are captured, leaving Kim defenseless... but of course her father is there for her even when he is being held captive. And we know he's not happy.
I had an undeniably good time at Taken 2. It's a lot of fun. Neeson is such a great action hero, and I think Taken was a blessing in disguise for him, and it is good to see that that blessing hasn't worn off. The action sequences, at times, drag on, but are nothing short of spectacular. Luckily, it is a bit different than its predecessor. Had it not been for that fact, Taken 2 might've been painful. But again, it reaches a problem in its last ten minutes: It hints at another movie. PLEASE STOP! Leave while you're on top. Trust me, it's for the best. Still, Taken 2 is just as good as the original.
B+