Uninspired and unfortunate continuation

Rating: 4/10 (21 January 2013)

Review originally posted on InspirationRation.com - When Taken released in 2008 it was a surprise hit. It had all the right elements for a great action flick; an excellent plot with strong motivations for the main protagonist, great action moments, and that iconic scene where Liam Neeson's character, Bryan Mills, threatens his daughter's kidnapper over the phone. Liam Neeson became an instant action hero because of it, and rightfully so.
Now we are back for more in Taken 2, but unfortunately something is different. Much of what made the original great is missing from this sequel. This time around the plot is truly inferior. Let's lay out some of the reasons why.
The plot for Taken revolved around the kidnap of young women for prostitution, a truly horrendous, but ultimately impersonal act. Which made it so great that Bryan Mills was there to put a stop to it. The bad guys simply picked 'the wrong man's' daughter to mess with. This time around the plot just revolves around revenge. It is very personal, and very simple. There is no logic at all to the motivations of the main antagonist. His son was murdered by Bryan Mills, but then again, his son had kidnapped and sold Bryan's daughter into prostitution. I'd say they are pretty even.
Secondly, and most importantly, in the original movie there was a very strong sense of urgency. There was a short time-frame in which Bryan would be able to get his daughter back. This created a high-stress situation where there was no time for discussions or second guessing. Additionally, it created a realistic reason not to involve other parties, as this would take way too much time. However, in Taken 2, this sense of urgency is greatly reduced. Bryan even seems to leisurely take his time when having been kidnapped himself. Even the whole movie takes its time, with the prologue before the action even begins lasting a significant portion of the movie's runtime.
These weak character motivations and lack of urgency in the plot create arduous discussions and conversations, the awkwardness of which just highlights how superficial the plot truly is. However, as this is an action movie the plot is not really the most important part; the action is.
Unfortunately the action also leaves something to be desired. The fighting- and shooting-scenes are short and far in-between, and ultimately pretty forgettable. There is a nice car-chase, but this is rather ruined by Liam Neeson yelling the same line, "Go faster!", over and over and over and over again.
So is there any reason to go see this movie? Well, the acting here is pretty great. Liam Neeson is his quality self, and Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen prove their worth again as well. The great scenery is also worth noting, with beautiful Istanbul set as the location for the majority of the movie.
Taken 2 shows as much creativity as its title, so sit down to watch this movie with the mind-set that it is not going to be a continuation of the greatness of the first Taken. Make sure not to think too critically (or preferably at all), and you should be reasonably entertained. - Review originally posted on InspirationRation.com