More of the same

Rating: 5/10 (18 January 2013)

As the bodies of killed Albanian mafioso return home, the crime lord and father of one of the deceased Murad Krasniqi (Rade Serbedzija) is set on vengeance. When ex-special op Bryan Wills (Liam Neeson) brings his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) and daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) with him to a job in Istanbul, the family turn to be a perfect target for Krasniqi. Lenore and Bryan consequently find themselves captured / taken by the Albanian mafia, while Kim - with some help from her father - manages to escape and is soon on her way to rescue her parents. Despite his situation Bryan is in eternal self-control and nothing will come between him and his family's safety.
"Taken" was a spectacularly successful action movie. And rightfully so, despite its flimsy sub-textual message about how unsafe the world is. Mainly due to the innovative Macchiavellan main character, who sets his goals and tanks his way to reach them. Despite not necessarily typecast Liam Neeson excels in this role, strong and ruthless, thus surprisingly becoming an action star at old age. "Taken 2" basically rehashes the original, albeit basing it on an even more ridiculous plot, essentially set in typical Luc Besson style 'better not ask' realm of the illogical. Nonetheless Besson never fails at one thing: in supplying over-the-top intense action scenarios. Despite the second part too closely replicating the original and some flimsy directing the overall action is basically just as appealing, thus thrusting us to relive the experience in a new location and some alternate scenarios. Basically delivered more of the same as an obvious attempt to milk the cow, its sure to satisfy "Taken" crazies, but won't go much further then there, as the story fails to build on the characters and expand into new directions. Once again the villains take a back seat (somewhat a shame as Serbedzija is severely underused as a potential great baddie), whilst Neeson dispatches and delivers his two damsels from distress.