Taken 2 surprised us both, not only for the general reasons associated with any sequel, but because this one in particular seems not to lend itself well to the idea of continuing the story. It should be noted that we were both surprisingly fond of the original, which didn’t sell itself very well, and surpassed its somewhat odd premise.
Once you get past the corny introduction, which requires a lot more suspension of disbelief than ought to be necessary just to open a film, it’s actually not as bad as might be expected. Unfortunately, for me anyway, it isn’t nearly as good as the expectations you might have if the first film is fresh in your mind.
Liam Neeson is solid, but asked to move through a minefield with little to guide him. The film combines some clever elements with some ludicrous ones (the car chase stands out as borderline unwatchable), but overall it is a decent bit of fun for those willing and able to limit the amount of actual attention they put toward it.
Shane was more forgiving, and as we discuss in the show, it may be because I was impressed with the first one, and that impression was fairly recent.
Well, and there’s the fact that the opening to the film (read – the goofball events that lead people into a position where it is possible to be taken) really rubbed me the wrong way.
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