Taken 2 Film Review- This post is dedicated to the review of the sequel to the smash hit Taken which starred Liam Neeson as retried CIA operative Brian Mills. In fact it is the first of 2 posts dedicated to the film. The second will focus on the fighting system used in Taken 2. This however is a pure and simple review of the film.
Taken 2 had a lot of critique among fans.People seemed disappointed with the film and one famous reviewer on You Tube Jeremy Jahns slammed the film.
To be honest this did put me off and I have to say the trailers (which I featured on this site some time ago) didn’t seem to do any favours for the film. Well finally I have got to watch the film (heh Im a busy guy) and here is the review you need to read!!
Liam Neeson
OK he trained Obi Wan, taught both Batman and Bane and got his daughter back in Taken after she was kidnapped by an evil gang. yes Liam Neeson is awesome, however like everyone we all get old and this film actually shows this well.
I always thought of Brian Mills (Neesons character) as an ageing James Bond type of character who has tried to patch up things with his family and left the CIA to be a body guard, he is not an in prime CIA operative. In Taken 1 we saw a younger version of Mills, the newly retired. In Taken 2 however Mills like Neeson is older and it shows. Now I’m not sure if this was deliberate or not but it is actually a nice touch, however it leaves the fight scenes a little slower than Taken 1 but none the less just as entertaining.
However Liam Neeson plays the ageing Ex CIA agent perfectly and once again steals the show with his performance.
The Film
OK now the film was what you want to read about so here it is. I think it is really very good. Not the 3 stars on Amazon or how the media reported it, instead it is a very entertaining film and every bit as good as the first.
The story revolves around Mills and his family being kidnapped by the relatives of the gang that Mills killed in Taken. Yes he did that because they kidnapped his daughter but they don’t care, they just want him to suffer. This revenge style plot is excellent and rfealy sets the scene for the drama that unfolds.
We also get to see the relationship between Mills and his daughter unfold. He clearly protects her a lot but he does know what’s out there, but in this film the focus is on her helping her Dad out a lot more,add to that a mother/ex wife that is also involved you get for a pretty dramatic film.
What this is not however is Neeson on a revenge mission like before, instead we see his character left vulnerable and in a position where he has to make several difficult choices, he is older, more tired and clearly wants this to end and just keep his family safe.
The end result is a more complex plot with more acting than the previous film, but in every way just as good.
The fight and action scenes also do well, they are entertaining but clearly Neeson has slowed down (I will provide a specific post on this next).
The bottom line the film has great acting, a lot of action, a great plot and is just as good as the first film albeit in a different way.
I give it 5 out of 5!!! Well done and please lets see Taken 3 a lot sooner.
If you don’t own a copy just go through the Amazon link below to get yours
Andrew Holland- editor
Completely agree, Andy. I think most of the people who’ve been giving it bad press just don’t understand it to be honest. Especially when some of them I spoke to sing the praises of The Expendables in the same sentence! haha
Its a more complex film than the first with a lot more acting going on and multiple revenge elements, and you are so right that people giving the bad press didnt seem to get it.
Nearly turned it off, especially after the scene where the gangster had a gun to his wife’s head while he rang his daughter to tell her they were coming for her. . It was painful.
Matt aww, you didnt like it? I do agree that bit was slightly erm lets say over the top, but I think they did it more for the trailer.
Is that your Krav Kfm stuff I saw on You Tube?
Andy