“TAKEN 2″ (2012) Movie Review. Will you be taken aback this time around?

“TAKEN 2″ PRESS PREVIEW

Rewind back to “TAKEN” (2008).

You’ll find that it is a French actioner produced by LUC BESSON where LIAM NEESON played a former government operative called Bryan Mills.

His daughter had been kidnapped by human traffickers whilst vacationing in Paris.

 Now, hell knew no fury like a father enraged. So in retaliation, he went on a rampage, shooting, hacking, carjacking, slicing and dicing, whatever – in a frantic bid to save his beloved daughter.

Such a violent display of a father’s protective affection, but “TAKEN” (2008) did revive NEESON’s then sagging career and turned him around as an action superstar.

“TAKEN” (2008) was immensely successful, both critical and box-office, specially in Europe and the East.

Fast forward to “TAKEN 2″, the 2012 sequel, and let’s see whether you will be taken aback this time around.

A quick run-through on the movie synopsis:

 Bryan Mills (LIAM NEESON) is a retired CIA operative, and is back for one last security job, this time in Istanbul.

He is reunited with his ex-wife Lenore (FAMKE JANSSEN) and daughter Kim (MAGGIE GRACE).

The family is holidaying in the Turkish capital, where danger lurks. He is yet to reckon with the wrath of the surviving Albanian relatives of those he slaughtered on his last quest to save his daughter from the sex trade.

The enemies vow vengeance and will stop at nothing to avenge the deaths of their loved ones.

“TAKEN 2″ is a follow-up film, and could have been a crackling, high energy thriller that delivers.

But the content of a mediocre scrīpt mars everything that could have made it an implosive actioner.

 LIAM NEESON pitches a compelling performance, but there are too many plot holes.

The movie dogs the same formula as the 2008 original, but there’s something clearly missing this time and it is predictability.

Without doubt, Neeson is the film’s greatest asset, commanding authority as he heroically takes command of the predicaments, fighting his adversaries to protect his family.

But is this enough?

 The scale of the story is just too confining for him to grow even more.

For die-hard fans of LIAM NEESON, this one is pure entertainment.