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Taken 2

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Taken 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed byOlivier Megaton
Written byLuc Besson
Robert Mark Kamen
Produced byLuc Besson
StarringLiam Neeson
Maggie Grace
Famke Janssen
Rade Šerbedžija
CinematographyRomain Lacourbas
Edited byCamille Delamarre
Vincent Tabaillon
Music byNathaniel Méchaly
Production
companies
EuropaCorp
Grive Productions
Canal+
M6 Films
Ciné+
Distributed byEuropaCorp Distribution (France)
20th Century Fox (United States)
Release dates
  • 7 September 2012 (2012-09-07) (Deauville Film Festival)
  • 3 October 2012 (2012-10-03) (France)
Running time
91 minutes[2]
CountryFrance[1]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$45 mllion[3]
Box office$219,852,560[4]

Taken 2 is a 2012 English-language French action thriller film directed by Olivier Megaton, starring Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen and Rade Šerbedžija. The sequel to the 2008 film Taken, it was released on 3 October 2012.

Plot

After the events in Paris in Taken, family members of the men whom Bryan Mills (Neeson) killed while searching for his daughter, Kim (Grace), return to their hometown, Tropojë, Albania, for the funeral of the men whom Bryan had killed. During the ceremony, Murad (Šerbedžija), the employer of the men and father of Marko, a victim whom Bryan killed by electrocution, states that they will find Bryan to avenge the deaths of their loved ones.

When arriving at Kim's home to take her on a driving lesson, Bryan learns from her mother Lenore (Janssen), who is currently having relationship problems with her husband, that Kim is not there and that she has a new boyfriend. After Lenore's husband cancels their holiday to China, Bryan suggests that Kim and Lenore join him in Istanbul after he has finished some work he has agreed to do. After being led to believe that they have not taken him up on the offer, Bryan is surprised to find that Kim and Lenore have indeed flown out to join him, using his friends to surprise him.

Later, after lunch in the marketplace, Kim stays behind in an attempt to help her parents rekindle their relationship. While they are out, they are pursued by Murad's men, and, despite Bryan's efforts, Lenore is captured, forcing Bryan to surrender. Before he does so, he calls Kim to explain the situation and tells her to hide. With advice from Bryan, she is able to evade the kidnappers.

Bryan wakes up with his hands tied to a pole in a dark room. Using a communications device that he has hidden in his sock, Bryan calls Kim, instructing her to go to the US Embassy and tell them what happened, but she begs for a chance to help him and Lenore, which he decides to give her. Under Bryan's guidance, she opens up his weaponry suitcase and throws a live grenade out of the window. Bryan uses the time it takes for the sound of the explosion to deduce his location. He then has her take a gun and two more grenades and travel towards his location via the rooftops while he frees himself from his restraints. Bryan then sends steam up a chimney to pinpoint his location, and Kim drops the gun down the chimney, allowing Bryan to use it to kill the guards and escape the building, leaving Lenore behind while he rescues Kim, who is being chased.

Bryan later returns, intending to rescue Lenore, but he is unable to do so as she has already been taken away, forcing Bryan and Kim to drive through the city in a stolen taxi while being chased by Murad's men. The chase ends with the two of them having to break through a military checkpoint leading into the US Embassy. Bryan calls Sam (Orser), a friend and former CIA colleague, and has him call off the embassy guards. Having memorized the route that the kidnappers used when they first took Bryan and Lenore to Murad's safe house, he returns to the building and kills everyone before confronting Murad. After confirming with Murad that his two remaining sons will want revenge should he die, Bryan offers to let him walk away if he leaves him and his family alone. Murad seemingly agrees, and Bryan drops his gun, but when his back is turned, Murad grabs the gun and attempts to shoot Bryan, only to discover that the gun has no ammunition left. Murad attempts to attack Bryan, but Bryan pushes him against a wall, which has a spike coming out from it, impaling and killing him instantly. Bryan then reunites with Lenore.

Three weeks later, the Mills family eats at a café to celebrate Kim passing her driving test. They are joined, much to Bryan's surprise, by Kim's boyfriend Jamie, with Kim jokingly asking her father not to shoot him.

Cast

Production

Filming took place throughout early 2012, with scenes depicting Neeson and Grace's characters in Los Angeles being shot in January.[5]

Release

Taken 2 was screened on 7 September 2012 at the 38th Deauville American Film Festival.[6] It was theatrically released in more than 25 international markets, including North America, on 5 October 2012.[7]

Box office

As of October 15, 2012, Taken 2 has grossed $87,802,560 in North America and $132,050,000 internationally, which brings the film's worldwide total to $219,852,560.[4]

For its opening day in the United States and Canada the film topped the box office and earned $18.4 million,[8] $1.5 million of which came from midnight showings.[7] In its opening weekend, Taken 2 grossed US$49.5 million in North America, debuting in the No. 1 spot, setting a new record for the highest-ever October opening in North America of a film rated PG-13,[9][10] and earned about $55 million in other markets.[11] During its second weekend at the North American box office, the film dropped 55.8% from its first weekend and grossed $21.9 milllion while holding onto the No. 1 spot.[12]

Reception

Taken 2 has received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film received a score of 21% based on reviews from 148 critics and reports a rating average of 4.2 out of 10, with the reported consensus: "Taken 2 is largely bereft of the kinetic thrills — and surprises — that made the original a hit."[13] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 45 based on 35 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[14]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 stars out of 4, writing, "Taken 2 is slick, professional action" and concluding, "The cast is uniformly capable and dead serious, and if you're buying what [co-writer and producer] Luc Besson is selling, he's not short-changing you."[15] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a positive review, writing, "At a beefy 6-foot-4, Liam Neeson certainly looks physically imposing, but it was the notion of casting someone who can actually act in an action hero role that was the counter-intuitive concept that made both films—Taken 2 is more a remake than a sequel—so successful."[16] Bernard Besserglik of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review after its screening at Deauville, concluding, "There's a touch of vigilante advocacy in the movie that will displease some, with Neeson as a more gentlemanly version of the Charles Bronson of the Death Wish series, but clearly there's still a market for such fantasies. Moviegoers who liked Taken and want more of the same will get precisely that."[17]

John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal gave the film a mixed review, writing that there is a "blind adherence to formula evident in most of Taken 2. As they might say in the advertising department, it's an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride. But it could have been much more."[18] Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C grade, writing, "You know what happens in Taken 2, don't you? The same thing that happened four years ago in Taken, but different. (But the same.)" and that Taken 2 "is simultaneously silly, nasty, a lazy festival of stereotypes, and a cleverly made piece of merchandise—i.e., it's the devil we know."[19] Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times gave the film a mixed review, writing that much of Taken 2 "seems like a nonstop car and foot chase, with Albanian after Albanian falling victim to Bryan's remarkable aim and hand-fighting skills. Foreigners bad, Americans good, box office busy."[20]

Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club gave the film a C grade, writing, "What begins as a family outing, with a hint of rekindled romance between the parents, devolves into kidnapping (the word 'taken' gets thrown about liberally), torture, high-speed chases, and other misadventures probably not smiled upon by the Turkish Board Of Tourism. None of it is particularly novel or exciting."[21] Scott Bowles of USA Today gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4, writing, "The first half of Taken 2 is a serviceable action flick, but the second half descends into cliches" and "[a]t times, Taken 2 even steps from the shadows of the original with some terrifying imagery and an improved relationship between father and daughter. Alas, the movie can't help but descend into a pat part two, bereft of much suspense or tension."[22] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film 4 stars out of 5, concluding, "In the first movie, from the tailend of the Bush era, Liam was not shy about using Jack Bauerish torture techniques, wiring up evil-doers to the mains and zapping them with righteous volts. None of that now. That was a 15; this is a 12A, a bit tamer, just as ridiculous, but the premise is looking pretty tired."[23]

Joe Neumaier of the Daily News also gave the film 4 stars out of 5, writing, "Taken 2 has a plot that could have been written by a GPS program, and contains all the technical charm that conjures up. Yet somehow, Liam Neeson growls through this just-acceptable action sequel with his dignity intact, his wallet bigger and his movie family oblivious to all that occurred in 2009's Taken."[24] Neil Smith of Total Film also gave the film 4 stars out of 5, concluding, "'What are you going to do?' wails Maggie. 'What I do best!' growls Liam. Yet while it's fun to watch him take out the Eurotrash, we've seen him do it better."[25] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post gave the film 4 stars out of 4, writing, "You can't blame Neeson, or the Taken producers, for trying to catch lightning in a bottle again. What you can blame them for is Taken 2, a sequel every bit as clumsy, ham-handed, outlandish and laughable as the original was sleek, tough and efficient."[26]

Audiences polled by the market research firm CinemaScore gave the film a B+ grade on average.[11]

Sequel

Liam Neeson has cast doubt on a sequel;[27] however, 20th Century Fox and Taken co-writer/producers Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen are considering developing Taken 3. "We didn't start talking about Taken 3 until we saw the numbers," Kamen tells Hollywood.com. "But then we said, 'Oh, okay. I think we should do a third one.' And Fox wants us to do a third one. We've taken everyone we can take—it's going to go in another direction. Should be interesting."[28]

References

  1. ^ Gant, Charles (23 September 2012). "Taken 2". Variety. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Taken 2". British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). 14 September 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  3. ^ Fritz, Ben (4 October 2012). "'Taken 2' shoots for a repeat of box office magic with Liam Neeson". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Taken 2 (2012)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Liam Neeson looks pretty Taken with Maggie Grace: Co-stars reunite for thriller sequel". Daily Mail. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  6. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (9 September 2012). "French buyers circle Una Noche, Booster after Deauville screenings". Screen International. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  7. ^ a b McClintock, Pamela (5 October 2012). "Box Office Report: 'Taken 2' Scores $1.5 Million in Midnight Runs". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  8. ^ Taken 2 Daily Box Office
  9. ^ Over $50M 'Taken' in as Liam Neeson sequel thrills audiences, box office
  10. ^ Weekend Report: 'Taken 2' Kills, 'Frankenweenie' Fails
  11. ^ a b McClintock, Pamela (7 October 2012). "Box Office Report: 'Taken 2' Dazzles With $105 Mil Worldwide, Among Top October Debuts". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  12. ^ Weekend Report: 'Taken' Repeats, 'Argo,' 'Sinister' Tops Among Newcomers
  13. ^ "Taken 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  14. ^ "Taken 2". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  15. ^ Ebert, Roger (3 October 2012). "Taken 2". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  16. ^ Turan, Kenneth (4 October 2012). "Review: Don't mess with Liam Neeson in 'Taken 2'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  17. ^ Besserglik, Bernard (7 September 2012). "Taken 2: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  18. ^ Anderson, John (4 October 2012). "Getting 'Taken' for a Ride". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  19. ^ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (5 October 2012). "Taken 2". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  20. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (4 October 2012). "In Harm's Way in Istanbul". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  21. ^ Phipps, Keith (4 October 2012). "Taken 2". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  22. ^ Bowles, Scott (5 October 2012). "'Taken 2' with Liam Neeson grabs just enough thrills". USA Today. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  23. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (4 October 2012). "Taken 2 – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  24. ^ Neumaier, Joe (5 October 2012). "Movie Review: 'Taken 2'". Daily News. New York. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  25. ^ Smith, Neil (3 October 2012). "Taken 2". Total Film. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  26. ^ Hornaday, Ann (5 October 2012). "Taken 2". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  27. ^ Liam Neeson Casts Doubt On Taken 3
  28. ^ 'Taken 2' Writer Talks Sequelizing, Says Success Means 'Taken 3' Is On — EXCLUSIVE
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