Review: "Taken 2"

Film And DVD Reviews by Phil Boatwright

CREDITS:  Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, D. B. Sweeney. 20th Century Fox. Action/thriller. Written by Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen. Directed by Oliver Megaton. 10/5/12

FILM SYNOPSIS: In Istanbul, retired CIA operative Bryan Mills and his wife are taken hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while rescuing his daughter in Taken.

REVIEW: Liam Neeson lends authority, the film moves with breakneck pacing and in a way, perhaps it’s cathartic, giving us an outlet for the frustrations we have with people around the world underestimating America’s resolve to defend ourselves.

Here’s what I said about the first film: “Though the unfolding storyline is ludicrous, I was hooked from start to finish by the frenetic camera work, the swift, editing the lively pacing and visceral directional style, and Mr. Neeson’s commanding performance. It is action adventure at its best. And cathartic in a way, for if we could just send ten guys like Bryan Mills out into the world, they’d end terrorism of any kind for good.”

But, round two is just more of the same.

PG-13 (other than the few minor expletives like “damn” and “hell,” the scriptwriter avoids much objectionable language; three s-words; I caught one use of God’s name followed by a curse, this coming from the lead; the expression “Oh my God” is uttered casually by both mother and daughter; lot’s of violence, consisting of car accidents, people beaten, people kidnapped and beaten, some tortured, as with a woman cut by a knife on the neck and forced upside down so the blood will drain out and the husband has to watch as she nears death; others are shot, stabbed, and blown up; some blood). Running Time: 91 min. Intended Audience: Older teens and up

Besides providing a monthly column for Baptist Press, he reviews films for www.previewonline.org. He also is a regular contributor to "The World and Everything In it," a weekly radio program from WORLD News Group, which also publishes WORLD Magazine.

For information about Phil Boatwright, go to moviereporter.com.

DEFINITIONS

Profanity – God’s name followed by a curse or the abusive use of Christ’s name

Obscenity – a swear word, indecent language

Expletive – minor curse words such as damn or hell

Crudity – vulgar, often coarse situations or dialogue dealing with bodily functions

Adult Subject Matter – situations or subjects unsuitable for or difficult to comprehend by children