Taken 2

[Deep Wang]

Well, I've seen it too.

First off, it really is not as bad as the critics say. It isn't any good, it doesn't even come within a galaxy of Taken, but, it's basically what you get from Hollywood most of the time anyway with their action movies, so I don't see how it deserved 16% or whatever rating it achieved.

You do realize that the 16% isn't a score. It is the percentage of critics that liked the movie.

That means you agree with the majority of critics.

[BK007]

^ True, but a percentage under 20% just signifies really bad.Like, Metacritic, anything red, is almost a guarantee of awfulness even if it looks great or whatever. With RT, since the % is so prominently displayed, after using the site for awhile, anything above 20, but more often 30% you can still take your chance and end up pleased. So, in that sense, I think the rating is unjustified.Like I said, it's not a bad movie, which is the highest praise I can muster. I mean, I don't see how (though I cannot name any examples right now) it gets a 16% when there are dozens of other movies just like it getting more, and since production value is higher here than in those it helps. But, anyway, pointless really, since I don't really like the movie.

[FTF]

Ugh, what a piece of shit and so disappointing after the pretty badass first one. Everything in this was so ridiculous and over the top and done so poorly. I mean the first one had some ridiculous things yet somewhat beliveable and you didn't mind cause I guess since Neeson was so kick ass, etc. But this one was complete nonsense and I didn't believe or buy into half the shit going on (especially the stuff his daughter Kim was doing) and it was just crap and so much worse than the first one.D atm but I'm usually an easy grader so maybe I'll bump it up to a C- or something later on.Oh well, I'll just have to go see Looper again to cancel this crappy movie out

[Heretic]

Not as bad as some people are saying. I thought it was quite enjoyable. Obviously, nowhere near as good as the first, and the action seemed to have been toned down quite a lot, but I was never bored.

C+

[cheesypoofs]

The way Neeson kills the old guy that is the main villian is hilarious in such a bad way. Seriously, WTF?!?!

That was the dumbest part of the move IMOI didn't hate the movie,but the first was definitely much better. I'd give this a B/B-. The first was an A for me.

[cheesypoofs]

Not as bad as some people are saying. I thought it was quite enjoyable. Obviously, nowhere near as good as the first, and the action seemed to have been toned down quite a lot, but I was never bored.

C+

This is pretty much how I feel as well.

[cheesypoofs]

For the record, I hope that they don't make a Taken 3. I don't care how much money this makes and how much Taken 3 would make, Taken 3 just wouldn't be something I would want to see.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Cheesy Poofs

[Cmasterclay]

I thought that it was thoroughly enjoyable, albeit terrible, but that's what made it so fun. The first was such an awesome flick that if this one had just been mediocre or average it would have been a let down. But the combination of Liam Neeson and the unintentional hilarity of so many of the scenes left me with a smile on my face. Good movie to go to with a group of friends in a crowded theater. Bad movie, but the bad parts (grenade scene, main baddie's death, the overtly complicated instruction and repetition by Mills) are what made it fun (plus Neeson does kick some ass!)

[SchumacherFTW]

I thought this was great. The expectation I had was Neeson being a badass, and it didn't disappoint in that respect. I had no problems with the grenade thing at all. My only gripe was that towards the end you could see AND hear where they had cut it down for PG-13/12A, which made the final fight stupid as anything, it looked like he wiped his sleeve on a guy's face to kill him! But still, a cool time at the movies. B-

[efialtes76]

Liam looks so tired in this movie!The grenade scene is :sadno:3/10p.s. One wish:Olivier Megaton,no more movies,please

Edited October 11, 2012 by efialtes76

[The Toymaker]

Taken 2

Very enjoyable movie. Obviously the shock and awe of Liam Neeson kicking ass isn't present in Taken 2, which does take much of the greatness out of the whole experience. However, the film had my heart pumping throughout, so it knows how to keep it intense with the suspense. The synopsis is fine, I didn't have a problem with that because it was played out in a way that was mature enough to make it seem believeable (for a Luc Besson action movie, that's something).

I am left with a feeling of emptiness though, like I have been cheated. I went in wanting to see blood, wanting to see Neeson kick some ass like in Taken, and I feel that I haven't really seen all that much. Much of the fault is with me, I really should know better than to watch a violent movie in a Chinese cinema, especially one that I have been anticipating so much. So much of the violence, I only assume, was cut (it's so easy to tell). I saw no blood in the movie at all, apart from when Famke Janssen gets her neck cut slightly. All other blood was cut, and I'm assuming there was more than just that speck of blood. Moreover, though, the fight scenes were very shaky-cam-esque, and I couldn't really see much of what was going on. I didn't feel that Neeson engaged in as much hand-to-hand combat as the first one where as I remember it he was throwing people around all the time. Add that to the censoring and I feel robbed of my admission cost.

The way that his daughter helped him out so much, like the grenades on the roof, drawing the map, and driving the car through the streets of Istanbul when she had failed her test twice before were not very believeable, and a little corny, but I didn't have much of a problem with that. Although the transition from the naive, scared and stupid daughter of Taken to the super-able daughter in Taken 2 is really noticeable, and makes me think that the writers had intended to get Bryan Mills into a really difficult situation (even one where he might not be able to escape) before thinking of how it was too hard for him to win the day. So they just came up with a simple idea - "The daughter saves him!" - and the rest was history. I don't know, that may have happened between Luc Besson and Mark Kamen. But like I said, I am able to overcome that.

One thing that I couldn't get over was how no matter what film, if an Eastern European villain is needed, they always cast Rade Šerbedžija, and it's getting to the point now that it's laughable. He, for me, does not embody the nastiness and power of a Taken villain because he's starred so many times in comic roles (sometimes as the bad guy, other times as just the token Russian guy - both in Snatch), so his fear factor has been watered down so much. They should have just chosen someone, an unknown, like in the first. It was more believeable for me.

The music was good. Not the stock chase-adventure music that all action movies have, but the scenes where Neeson is going back to where his ex-wife was kidnapped and was retracing his steps, that was music from Drive. Although it was good, I feel it was a bit lazy to use that music that was only used last year to critical acclaim. Speaking of Famke Janssen, she wasn't great, and I cringed when she said "but you haven't got my daughter", or words to that effect. So cheesy. I didn't like how she and her new husband were going through a tough patch either, but I suppose it needed to happen for the movie to work.

Famke: "What are you going to do?"

Neeson: "What I do best"

Another line I wish wasn't there. He should have said something like "What do you think I'm gonna do?", then cut. Or "I think you know what I'm going to do", then cut. But anyway, I know it may seem like I am being overly negative after saying that I ennjoyed it, but I am just nit-picking, because on the whole I enjoyed it, but it isn't as good as its predecessor. But who knows, when I watch it on DVD or if I decide to watch it in HK (with gore included), I may enjoy it more, because that's what we want to see from a Taken movie.

B+

[SchumacherFTW]

You won't have a great deal of gore added to it if you see it in HK, it was likely watered down everywhere it got released just like here in the UK.

[The Toymaker]

Nah, it can't be the same as in China, though. The cuts were so obvious at times. Neeson would kill a thug just by getting him by the scruff of the neck and moving a little, and the next show was the guy dead on the floor. Or a gun would go off and the scene cuts immedaitely to something else. It's a complete joke over here. I don't believe Besson is that bad of a producer to let that happen, so it must be the Chinese censors.

I only said I may see it in Hong Kong. I probably won't as I don't plan on going there until Dredd comes out later this month, and by then it may be hard to find a cinema showing Taken 2. I'll probably just see Dredd and another one that is out at the time, and leave Taken 2 alone.

[MrPink]

Nah, it can't be the same as in China, though. The cuts were so obvious at times. Neeson would kill a thug just by getting him by the scruff of the neck and moving a little, and the next show was the guy dead on the floor. Or a gun would go off and the scene cuts immedaitely to something else. It's a complete joke over here. I don't believe Besson is that bad of a producer to let that happen, so it must be the Chinese censors.

I only said I may see it in Hong Kong. I probably won't as I don't plan on going there until Dredd comes out later this month, and by then it may be hard to find a cinema showing Taken 2. I'll probably just see Dredd and another one that is out at the time, and leave Taken 2 alone.

That's the case in the US cut as well. The movie is really poorly edited, violence wise.

[The Toymaker]

Ok, well in that case my grade might be lowered. I'd have to see an uncut version first, though.

[cheesypoofs]

Liam looks so tired in this movie!The grenade scene is :sadno:3/10pd:One wish:Olivier Megaton,no more movies,please

I would be tired if people kept taking my family too!

[Ozymandias]

Is this worth seeing? Like, will I atleast be entertained?

[MrPink]

Is this worth seeing? Like, will I atleast be entertained?

There's no action for the first 40 minutes, and 25 minutes of the film is focused mostly on Maggie Grace, the sole bright spot being that she's in a bikini for that section of the film. Other than that, you might have a decent timeYou make the call.

[cheesypoofs]

Is this worth seeing? Like, will I atleast be entertained?

I was entertained, but I would agree with anybody who says that the first was much better.

[Accursed Arachnid!™]

I thought it was fine. Pretty much what I expected. Those who have issues with the film being too much like the first one must also have issues with most SH films and Westerns(since they follow a basic outline). There are certain things you expect from a "Taken" film and this one delivered. Was it better than the first? Hell no. But it was very entertaining in its own right.