Thoughts On: Taken T.V. Series (2017) - Pilot

Television producers are currently experiencing a dry spell like no other in that they are turning to recognizable cinematic properties for their television series. While this is not strange, as television series have been based around film properties before, lately there have been a string of dry adaptations and blatant rip-offs to superior cinematic properties, most notably the failed Rush Hour series, the currently on air Lethal Weapon, and the brand new Training Day series. What's sad is that none of these series add to their franchises or successfully duplicate what made the originals so great. Instead, they blatantly rip-off what was done so much better before, but now done far worse. Television producers think they can simply replace said stars with other actors and duplicate the formula again and call it a day, but that doesn't equal quality.

The latest entry in this series of unnecessary television adaptations of superior action films is Taken, a prequel series that no one asked for. I'm embarrassed to even be writing about this new series, but I have been morbidly curious to check it out due to my love for the original film and because this show seems so unnecessary. There's no denying that the Taken series has been one of dwindling creative returns. Each successive film in the series has been drastically worse than the previous (click here, here, and here, for my detailed reviews of each film). However, each sequel has been more successful than the previous, which means that the Taken brand is a viable and marketable one that people will seemingly turn out for no matter what. The abuse of that brand name is now put to the test with the Taken television series, the second series to be adapted from a string of EuropaCorp action films, the first being the Transporter series, which sucked the big one.

Although completely unnecessary, the Taken series acts as a prequel to the first film, finding a young Bryan Mills (now played by Clive Standen) aboard a train with his sister. When Mills notices some suspicious characters on the train, he alerts his sister to cause a distraction so that he can take out the armed gunmen. After dispatching the men in quick Mills fashion, including one of Mills trademark punches from the first film, his poor sister dies in the ensuing confusion. Later, Mills is recruited to join the CIA and help them due to this exemplary skills that day, which will lead him on the path to discover those trusty skills of his that he puts to use over the course of the films.

I have to be honest, I did not watch the entire episode, simply because it got so bad at one point that I had to start fast forwarding to what looked like the most exciting or interesting parts. Besides a promising start, and I say that with the utmost kindness, the show quickly devolves into your typical network action thriller with copious amounts of boring exposition and dull dialog. The most obvious issue is that the series features no real similarities to the Taken films, besides the fact that it is a show about a CIA agent who kicks ass. 

Will the real Bryan Mills please stand up?

The plot is obviously different, but instantly less gripping, as a story about a protective father on a time crunch is far more exciting than an origin story about that father before he became a father. Also, when you take away Bryan's status as a father, which includes his protective nature towards his daughter, he immediately becomes a far less interesting character, as he is simply your average action hero. Although the show's writers and producers think they are paying tribute to the first film, it's honestly more in line with Taken 2 and Taken 3, as it's nothing more than your average action film with the Taken brand name. 

The show is also in line with the sequels in that its action is rather disappointing, with there being hardly any in the entire pilot. The only action scene that I would deem memorable is the opening train assault, specifically because it felt creative in its construction. It also reminded me of one of my favorite action films from the 90s, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, which you should watch instead of this garbage television show. A shootout later on has some solid action shots, including a part where Bryan rolls around whilst firing two pistols, but beyond that, none of the action is well shot, falling very much in line with Olivier Megaton's nauseating queasy cam post-action. Also, firing two guns at once doesn't seem very Bryan Mills if you ask me. After all, Bryan is supposed to be a well trained and skilled CIA agent who always uses one hand gun at a time and aims all of his shots. I know that this is supposed to be an origin story to Bryan's bad ass skills, but I highly doubt that the writers thought about Bryan's shooting tactics, which proves how much they respect the character.

There's not much to say about this one folks. The Taken television series is so bad, that it actually makes Taken 3 (alternately titled Tak3n for those who didn't know what film I was referring too) look good, darn near competent even. A bad action film can always be redeemed by some half decent action and the star power of its notable actors, such as with Neeson in Taken 3 or even Jason Statham in another Megaton directed action film, Transporter 3. But the Taken television series not only has the dull as hell plotting and weak character work of those films, but barely any action to write home about, let alone a star to remember. Therefore, and I say this with all honesty, there is nothing to recommend in this show. Now that we live in a day and age of incredible television that usurps the work on the big screen, we don't have time for this kind of I.P. driven crap. Unless you are willing to create the next Jack Bauer or Bryan Mills for television, don't fall back onto a previously developed character and think that you are doing anything fresh or exciting. I fully expect Taken to be cancelled by the end of its first season, as absolutely nobody is talking about it, let alone watching it. 

Criminal (2016) - Theatrical Review

Director: Ariel Vromen

Cast: Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, Alice Eve, Gal Gadot

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 113 min

Criminal is the latest entry in the "Over 50" sub-genre of action films that slowly began to grow in the early 90s, but more or less kicked off in the mid 2000s. These kind of action films tend to star an actor over fifty years of age who either has a strong connection to the action genre or none, and may or may not address their age in regards to the plot or types of action they get involved with. I wrote an extensive article on the matter once, entitled Old Guys Kick Ass, and noted that Pierre Morel's Taken was a major film in said movement whose effects can still be felt to this day. Ever since Liam Neeson picked up a gun and threw down with some bad guys in fairly gritty action scenes, every other aged male lead or action star has made an attempt to cash in on Taken's money or star in a film that somewhat emulates its plot, imagery, or sentiments.

In my article, I noted that Kevin Costner was one of the key figures in the "Over 50" sub-genre, as he used to be an action star in the 90s, yet started to appear in action films again in the 2010s with the likes of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and 3 Days to Kill (note: check out the History Channel mini-series, Hatfields and McCoys, if you want to see some prime aged Costner ass-kicking). While it's nice to finally see Costner tackle harder R-rated material with Criminal, one of his more violent action films to date, the film is an absolute mess and a complete embarrassment to the sub-genre and everyone involved with the production. In the words of my friend Chris Gutierrez, "This movie is criminal."

Poor Ryan Reynolds, you don't need to do movies like this anymore.

There is a plot at the center of Criminal, but good luck figuring it out while watching the film, as the action thriller heavily emulates the boring and overly complicated direct to video actioners that Steven Seagal has become so notorious for. When Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds), a government agent, is killed by Xavier (Jordi Molla), a "Spanish Anarchist" as the movie refers to him, the government resorts to a memory swap program in order to extract precious information from his head about a skilled hacker. Dr. Franks (Tommy Lee Jones), a specialist on the matter, selects Jericho Stewart (Kevin Costner) to become the host of Pope's memories due to his special brain condition. After Stewart receives Pope's memories, he escapes from custody and heads out into the world. While he wishes to live a normal life again, the memories in his head force him to complete the mission the government selected him for. He also ends up protecting Pope's family in the process.

Where to begin with Criminal? Imagine if you were to take the plot of John Woo's Face/Off, and than fuse both characters from that film into one who is forced to share the same brain and body. Than also imagine if you were to remove more than half of the action from that film in order to make your newer film as boring as possible. Than also imagine if you were to treat the material as seriously as possible without a wink or a dash of humor anywhere, you know, because plots about body swapping are so serious in the first place. Than also imagine if you were to populate said film with as many notable A-list and character actors as possible and give none of them worthwhile material to work with. If you imagined all of those predicaments, you would find yourself with Criminal, one of the worst action films (?) of the year.

Besides the overly complicated plot and accidental comedy, the biggest issue with Criminal is its protagonist and his treatment of others. While Jericho may be an immensely flawed and disheartening character, I do admire the character arc that the screenwriters and director were shooting for. Costner plays Jericho, a cruel inmate with no regard for human life who only cares about himself. When he is injected with the memories of a good natured person like Pope, it clashes with his twisted side and forces him to acknowledge the existence between right and wrong. While I understand that the film was aiming for an arc in which Jericho learns to become more human, it doesn't work very well, especially in a film as convoluted and mean spirited as this.

What the viewer might want to do during the slow parts of the movie.

What makes Jericho such an unlikable protagonist is how he constantly murders innocent people and beats up cops who are just doing their jobs. When Jericho first escapes from the police at the film's beginning, he immediately throws a innocent young man's body into the car with the police officers and sets them on fire! Talk about a likable protagonist! Later on, he goes to a sandwich shop and brutally beats up a trio of soccer fans in order to steal their car. My goodness, why the need to be so violent towards those undeserved of said torture? Later on, Jericho meets up with Pope's wife for the first time, and proceeds to tie her up and attempt to rape her. Oh boy, I'm glad this is our protagonist. This aspect of Criminal prevents the viewer from ever connecting with the characters or plight at hand, as Jericho is completely undeserved of any admiration. Jericho Stewart might just be the worst and least likable character in all of Costner's filmography.

However, the damage doesn't stop there. Costner chooses to play Jericho as if he were a homeless caveman, consistently grunting underneath a pair of silly black sunglasses. This movie essentially consists of numerous scenes in which Costner goes around and acts like a jerk to food establishment employees and attendants, as he either threatens them or beats them up, a truly admirable character trait if there ever was one. I truly cannot remember the last time that I actively rooted against a protagonist as cruel and unusual as Jericho in this film.

Criminal could have also been alternately titled, "How to Waste a Great Cast," as the film assembles an incredible selection of notable actors who all deserve better. Besides Costner, the film features notable turns by Tommy Lee Jones (No Country For Old Men), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), and Gal Gadot (Batman v Superman). Loads of recognizable character actors pop up as well, including Antje Traue (Man of Steel), Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness), Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire), Jordi Molla (Bad Boys II), Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break), and even martial arts extraordinaire Scott Adkins (Ninja, Expendables 2). It's an absolute crime that a studio film finds a supporting role for Adkins, who is an action star in his own right, and gives him absolutely nothing to do. Martial arts fans hoping to see Adkins throw down with Costner or engage in an action scene will walk away disappointed, as he doesn't even fire a weapon in the entire film. Although it's neat to see Adkins appear in every scene with Oldman, who fully commits to the ridiculous premise of the film, he deserves far better.

At least Tommy Lee Jones graces us with his presence.

Criminal also commits the crime of my biggest movie pet peeve: whenever a film lists a character's name and profession on the screen when they are first introduced. It proves that the screenwriters don't know how to naturally introduce a character, and feel the need to spell it out on the screen, as if any viewer is going to remember that character's name or profession five seconds later. A few examples include Steven Seagal's hilariously bad Out for a Kill, Isaac Florentine's mostly solid but occasionally defunct Close Range, Ridley Scott's 'somehow nominated for Best Picture' The Martian, and even this year's London Has Fallen. As soon as a character's name appeared onscreen within the first five minutes of the film, I knew that I was in for some pain, as Criminal fails to understand how to introduce its characters beyond onscreen text.

Besides its horrendous on screen text and inept plotting, Criminal is thankfully a stylistically impressive feature. Director Ariel Vromen crafts some fantastic action scenes with loads of brutal kills, ear shattering sound design, and surprisingly shocking gore. Unfortunately, every stellar action scene seems to end as soon as it begins. Although all of the action in the film is great, it's a shame that there is so little of it. Criminal is mostly a science fiction drama with occasional bursts of action and violence peppered throughout. Another shame about the action is that most of it plays into Jericho's flaws as a character, in that most of the brutal beat downs and fights feature innocent people and cops simply doing their jobs. When Jericho finally throws down with some of lead villain Xavier's henchmen, the action finally becomes satisfying, as the people dying finally deserve their fate. The final fight in which Costner saves Pope's family on an airplane runway is absolutely awesome and filled with memorable and brutal kills galore. It's a shame that this excellent action couldn't be transported to a much better film with a far more simplistic plot devoid of accidental comedy and a caveman performance by Costner.

This is about as exciting as the movie gets.

The word that I would use to describe Criminal is "disheartening." Not simply because it takes its plot too seriously, or features loads of accidental comedy in the form of Costner screaming at people he kills, or starts and ends on a false note, but because it makes one feel miserable whilst watching it. If action films in which a protagonist goes around murdering and beating up innocent people is your kind of thing, than Criminal is the film for you. However, if you are a human being, have a heart, and understand what makes a protagonist likable and relatable, than steer clear of Criminal. The thought, "end already," consistently popped up in my head while watching Criminal. That should describe the experience for you. However, if you are a glutton for punishment, like myself, there are some truly fantastic action scenes and some hilariously bad moments of accidental comedy worth checking out that make the viewing experience all the more tolerable.

Rating: 4/10 - Although the film deserves a far lower score, it's solid action and accidental comedic moments helped me make it through most of its nearly two hour run time.

The Top Five Best (And Worst) Action Films of 2015

2015, much like 2014, was a fairly disappointing year for action in terms of quantity. However, about two or three action films were near bonafide action masterpieces, with one immediately cementing itself as one of the greatest action films ever made. Therefore, this year was more about quality than it was quantity. 

I also missed out on several action films this year, so I may have simply been watching the wrong films altogether. I wanted to see Skin Trade, Ant-Man, The Man From UNCLE, Hitman: Agent 47, SPL II, Wild City, Wolf Warrior, and The Gunman, but simply never got around too them. And while I will get to those films eventually and probably review them sometime within 2016, I now present my five favorite and least favorite action films of 2015.

The Five Worst

5) Blackhat (Michael Mann, 2015) - Michael Mann used to be one of the premiere directors of dramatic crime cinema with such masterpieces as Heat and Collateral. However, the mighty have most certainly fallen, with Mann's previous three films being complete bores. His latest, Blackhat, is arguably his most boring film to date. Every character is written especially flat and performed so robotic, which is a surprise given the pedigree of A-list actors Chris Hemsworth and Viola Davis. Much like Mann's previous failures, Miami Vice and Public Enemies, Blackhat features some particularly astounding action sequences that unfortunately don't have a great film to go with. This is yet another example of a boring film with forgetful characters that slightly redeems itself due to some great action. However, that simply isn't enough, and Mann needs to learn better in order to deliver a greater product next time.

4) Taken 3 (Olivier Megaton, 2015) - Neeson's action dominance seems to have been on a steady decline as of recently. Ever since Neeson broke out onto the action scene with Taken, few of his action films have been particularly great. Taken 2 is a mediocre sequel, Non-Stop is an entertaining yet lukewarm action thriller, and A Walk Among the Tombstones is an immensely boring noir. Which brings us to Taken 3, easily the worst action film of Neeson's career and proof that the actor should stick to dramas. Megaton's latest entry in the series is an utter joke of a studio actioner, featuring nausea inducing editing and horrendous photography. While the poster clearly states that this is the end, I hope so for our and Neeson's sakes. Check out my review here. 

3) Pound of Flesh (Ernie Barbarash, 2015) - I am embarrassed to admit this, but I was extremely excited for Jean Claude Van Damme's latest direct to video actioner, Pound of Flesh, at the beginning of 2015. Imagine if Liam Neeson's kidney was taken from him instead of his daughter, and you have Pound of Flesh, more or less Van Damme's attempt at a Taken-esque thriller. Unfortunately, the film is exactly everything that is terrible about direct to video cinema. Not only does the film feature some hilariously bad editing, but it also utilizes some horrendous green screen in scenes that clearly weren't finished. One especially bad scene involves Van Damme fighting in front of a computer generated background that reduced me to tears of laughter. I admire Van Damme's attempt at an old fashioned actioner reliant upon fists and gun fights, but Pound of Flesh is a complete joke of an action film. It's worth checking out for a good laugh, but also for an honest watch as to see one of Darren Shahlavi's last performances, may he rest in peace.

2) Zero Tolerance (Wych Kaosayananda, 2015) - Zero Tolerance was a career first for me because it was the first advanced screener that I ever got to watch and review for cityonfire.com. And while I will always remember it as a career first, I will most likely never watch this atrocious film again as long as I live. Poor Kaosayananda was forced to reshoot and re-edit his dramatic film, Angels, into more of a streamlined actioner in order to market it better, especially with the inclusion of Scott Adkins. However, all that did was further confound an already immensely confounding action drama that sucked in the first place. Not only is the plot overly complicated, but all of the characters are practically emotionless. The few action scenes there are, while mildly entertaining and particularly brutal, are edited quite bizarrely too. The film is utterly fascinating to watch though for those who want to try and figure out which scenes were reshoots and which weren't. Far from being "so bad it's good," but worth recommending for those who are willing to do some research in order to fully understand the mess that is Zero Tolerance. Check out my review here.

1) Terminator: Genisys (Alan Taylor, 2015) - To be honest, Zero Tolerance and Pound of Flesh are honestly worse films. However, no other film that came out this year was as insulting as Terminator: Genisys, and for that, it takes the number one spot. This terrible reboot-quel is everything that is wrong with contemporary blockbuster cinema. It doesn't know whether or not it wants to be a reboot or a sequel, contains laughably bad computer graphics, features an overly complicated plot, and rips all of the tension out its video game-esque action sequences. Talk about how to waste a great cast and a once great franchise. This film is proof that studios and Arnold Schwarzenegger don't know good content from bad, and will simply participate in anything as long as it has the Terminator franchise name on it. Congratulations Alan Taylor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Paramount, you made the worst action film of 2015! There's a special realm in Hell for where you guys will be residing. Check out my review here.

The Five Best

5) Close Range (Isaac Florentine, 2015) - This was another career first for me, as I not only got to review an advance screener of the film but also star Scott Adkins himself. It was an awesome opportunity and the only way that I was able to check out the film far before its VOD release. While plagued with more DTV trappings than I'd like to admit, Close Range features some hard hitting action courtesy of Florentine's graceful eye for action. Both he and performer Adkins give their A-game in one of the better direct to video films in recent years. While far from a great action film, Close Range gives you exactly what you want, brutal and memorable showdowns coupled with shootouts to boot. Check out my review here.

4) No Tears for the Dead (Lee Jeong-beom, 2015) - Lee Jeong-beom came onto my radar when I discovered his 2010 masterpiece, The Man From Nowhere. It's easily one of the best action films in recent years thanks to both its tragic story and immensely bloody action. Therefore, I had to check out his latest, No Tears for the Dead, with the hope that the man would bring the goods once again. While far away from being nearly as masterful his previous effort, No Tears for the Dead continues Lee Jeong-beom's streak of exploring morally ambiguous assassins. The film is extremely reminiscent of other South Korean actioners such as A Company Man and, in my opinion, the all time greatest South Korean actioner, A Bittersweet Life, for its exploration of the assassin mindset and his diversion from his bosses and previously ingrained morals. Unlike The Man From Nowhere, No Tears for the Dead's resolution is more about emotion and theme than it is entertainment or audience satisfaction. Thankfully, Jeong delivers the action goods once again, with an unforgettable 10 minute long melee fight/shootout in an apartment complex that makes for one hell of a set piece.

3) Kingsman: The Secret Service (Matthew Vaughn, 2015) - Vaughn's hard R pastique of the spy genre was one of the year's best films purely for its high octane energy and mean spirited violence. Previous Vaughn joins like Kick-Ass left a sour taste in my mouth because it put a child front and center to the violence. However, Kingsman blends the over the top violence of comic book writer Mark Millar with Vaughn's stylistic tendencies for their best collaboration yet. The film also features an excellent cast, with Colin Firth giving one of the year's most bad ass performances. Newcomer Taron Egerton gives a star making performance as the spy in training, while the rest of the supporting cast does great work as well. It's wild, funny, and excessively violent, but fun from start to finish and one of the year's biggest surprises. Check out my review here.

2) Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (Christopher McQuarrie, 2015) - The latest M:I entry was an absolute blast and one of the best big budget sequels to come along in awhile. Badass auteur Chris McQuarrie knocked it out of the park, delivering a sequel that both fans of the series and newcomers could enjoy alike. With the recent announcement that McQuarrie will be returning for the sixth installment, M:I fans should be happier than ever before, as the franchise seems tailor made for McQuarrie. 

1) Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller) - It's rare that a film comes out and immediately registers on your radar as a bonafide masterpiece. Miller's reboot of his iconic Mad Max series was exactly that, a cinematic masterpiece in every sense of the word. It's a brutal, epic, violent, and extremely emotional film that both thrilled and choked me up during my first viewing. This will be one that action fans find themselves constantly returning to year after year. Regardless of whether a sequel is ever made, Fury Road will always stand as one of the greats. Check out my review here.

Honorable Mentions

And that's that! Here's to 2016, hopefully a much superior year for action!

Taste the Anticipation - Taken 2: Unrated Cut (2012)

Director: Olivier Megaton

Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Rade Serbedzija, Leland Orser

Country: France / United States

Rating: Unrated

Run Time: 98 minutes

Taste the Anticipation is a series dedicated to reviewing films in anticipation of a newer up and coming release. Whether it a previous franchise installment, a forgotten film within a director's immense oveure, or a thematically similar venture, anything is fair game as long as it relates to a newer cinematic product of sorts that I am anticipating.

In anticipation of Taken 3, the supposed final entry in the franchise that launched Liam Neeson to action stardom, I have decided to revisit Taken 2. Even though I previously reviewed the film in January of 2014, I feel that I owe the film a revisit and a proper review. I said some things in that old review that don't represent the "me" of today. I claimed that Under Siege 2: Dark Territory was a bad sequel when I hadn't even seen the film! I was such a schmuck. I also don't feel that I properly conveyed my opinion about the film's pace and lack of excitement. Therefore, I have decided to re-review the film and give my two cents about Taken 2 once and for all.

Pierre Morel's original Taken was a critical and commercial hit that came out of nowhere. Action fans and non-action fans alike loved it and sang the film's praises. Nobody could have guessed that Liam Neeson would break out in such a big way after doing a simple Seagal-minded actioner, but he did. I still sing the film's praises to this day and consider it to be one of the 100 greatest action films ever made. If you would like to see my praises for the film, check out my review.

However, Taken 2 was not as well received. Even though the film was a bigger box office success, critics and non-action fans alike decried the film as a lazy sequel that failed to live up to its predecessor's charms. And while I agree with these critics that Taken 2 is no Taken, I still find the sequel to be an entertaining action film that pleases my action taste buds. Unfortunately, the film suffers from incoherent fight scenes, rapid cutting, and an all around lack of excitement or tension.

Some good father daughter bonding time.

Taken 2 opens what must be a few months after the events of Taken. Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is closer than ever with his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) and his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) after saving her from sex traffickers in Paris (check out Taken if you missed out on all of the bloodshed). Bryan continues to include himself in Kim's life by teaching her how to drive and checking up on her while she makes out with her new boyfriend. One day, Lenore's current husband abandons her and Kim due to marital arguments. Therefore, Bryan offers for the two to join him in Istanbul, Turkey while he is on a security job. The two eventually join Bryan for a nice vacation and seem on their way to mending their old family back together.

Unfortunately, Bryan's past actions come to bite him in the butt. Murad (Rade Serbedzija) and a group of men related to the Albanians murdered in Taken want vengeance for the loss of their loved ones at the hands of Bryan Mills. Therefore, the men ambush Bryan and Lenore while on the streets of Istanbul. Before he and his wife are taken though, Bryan makes a phone call to Kim telling her how to help him escape his captors. It is than up to Kim to get Bryan's weapons to him and to locate him before he and Lenore are murdered.

I have heard several critics and people state that Taken 2 is a weak sequel because it shamelessly rehashes the original film's plot a-la The Hangover 2 or Die Hard 2: Die Harder. However, I personally disagree with this statement. While Taken takes place over three days as a father looks for his kidnapped daughter in crime ridden Paris, Taken 2 takes place over a few hours as a father has to escape his captors and work with his daughter in order to save his wife from men looking for vengeance on his past actions. Even though Bryan ultimately has to rescue someone he loves from evil men, the similarities end there. Taken 2 has far more differences with Taken than most people recognize. As far as sequels come, Taken 2 does exactly what a sequel should do. It builds upon the mythology of the original film, ups the stakes, and delivers bigger action set pieces.

Turkish Standoff

My main problem with Taken 2 is purely in its execution. For starters, the drama and tension in the film is nowhere near as tense or gripping as the happenings in Taken. There was a real sense of danger and excitement in Taken because Bryan was told he had only 72 hours to find his daughter before she disappeared forever. In Taken 2 however, Bryan spends half the movie escaping his captors and than the other half getting his wife back. Bryan also knows exactly where his loved one is this time around in contrast to his search for Kim in Taken. Even though the stakes are higher, Bryan shows no difficulty in dealing with the situation or his captors. Taken 2 fails to make its action proceedings or life or death situation exciting or engaging. The execution is formulaic and cheap.

The one scene in Taken 2 that most recalls Taken is when Bryan calls Kim before he is about to be taken himself. It's a nice reversal of the original film's famous phone call scene in which Kim calls Bryan before she is taken. However, I have a huge issue with this scene because Bryan calls Kim in the middle of a Mexican standoff with several gunmen. I don't understand why the gunmen stand there and let him make a call that gives his daughter the chance to save herself and Bryan as well. It baffles me that the gunmen don't shoot down Bryan or tell him to put the phone down. Instead, the gunmen stand there like idiots and allow Bryan to make a crucial phone call! This scene would have made more sense if Bryan was hiding and saw that the gunmen had a gun to Lenore's head. Therefore, Bryan would call Kim and inform her of his situation. He would than step out of hiding and surrender himself in order to keep his wife safe. This would make more sense because the gunmen would be unaware of Kim's advantage and believe that she would be vulnerable back at the hotel. Come on, Luc Besson, I just came up with this alternative right now.

However, Taken 2 gets to the hard hitting action much quicker than Taken, a whole 13 minutes quicker if I am correct. I applaud screenwriters Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen for remembering to re-establish the franchise's characters before throwing them into the hornet's nest. I also enjoy Besson and Kamen's decision to write an action film that forces the protagonist to deal with the consequences of their action's from the previous installment. Numerous action pictures and sequels showcase the hero kill countless enemies but never have to face the friends or families of the ones they killed (Death Wish series, The Transporter series, Under Siege series, etc). Therefore, it is nice to see Bryan Mills pay the price of his actions even though they were noble and righteous.

First Kimmy and now Lenny, oh boy.

Taken 2 also has the upper hand when it comes to color grading and lighting. The film looks far darker and grittier in comparison to Taken. And while I prefer the camera work and editing in the first Taken, the gritty colors and dirty sets of Taken 2 go along way for me by reinforcing the film's gritty tone. It's the same exact situation with another EuropaCorp franchise, the Transporter series. Even though The Transporter is visually bland and Transporter 2 is a visual overload of teal and orange, the final installment of Transporter 3 is beautifully lit with blues, blacks, and whites in order to match its filmic tone.

I love Bryan Mills with all of my heart. He's one of my favorite characters in any action film. There is nothing better than a family man who kicks ass and cares for those he loves. My favorite Bryan Mills moments in Taken 2 are the small meticulous beats that casual film goers will miss. I love how Bryan does the finish on his car at the car wash even though it is included with the purchase. I also love how Bryan shows up to Kim's house to teach her how to drive and stays seated in his car until exactly 2:00 P.M., thereby being exactly on time, not a minute earlier and not a minute later. These meticulous beats show that Besson and Kamen understand their character and refuse to make him a heartless killing machine. Neeson does a fine job in the role this go around. He brings all of his hard hitting skills and likable charms from Taken over to the sequel. Unfortunately, the film's action scenes are filmed so horribly that Neeson doesn't come off as awesome as he should. But we'll get to that in a minute.

Returning characters Kim, Lenore, and even Bryan's buddy Sam do a fine job in their roles. Kim is given far more screen time since she isn't taken this time. I especially admire how Besson and Kamen were able to utilize Kim's character to help her father out. Rade Serbedzija (Mission Impossible II) also does a fine job as Murad, the film's main baddie. Even though Murad is a sub-standard villain that we have seen a million times in action cinema, one cannot deny Serbedzija's skills as a screen villain. He looks and sounds the part so well. Serbedzija is notoriously type cast as villains in nearly every American film or television show that he appears in. But it's alright, because Rade is good in my book. I also like how the film puts a singular face to its antagonist instead of making numerous unnamed kidnappers and slavers the villain a-la Taken. It makes it easier for the audience to know who to hate and who to put a face to the film's villainy.

The signature Bryan Mills neck snap.

Even with its lack of tension, Taken 2 could have still been a solid action sequel a-la Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, Predator 2, Death Wish 2, Rambo: First Blood Part II, or Transporter 2 if its action scenes were actually awesome. The editing and photography is so bad in some sequences that the fight choreography is near impossible to make out. The first fight scene in which Bryan fights several of Murad's men with night sticks is shot with close ups that render the fight incoherent and sloppy. Punches, kicks, and beat downs also lack the same weight that they had in Taken. Every physical beat down seems weaker and slower due to the film's poor sound editing, rapid cutting, and shaky photography. In fact, I would say that the film has weaker choreography all around. You know something is wrong with your film when your protagonist appears weaker and slower after only one film.

Taken 2's action scenes also have an extreme lack of excitement or competent direction. For example, the film concludes with a large shootout between Bryan and Murad's henchmen at their hideout. I love the setting of the abandoned hotel and the concept of the action scene itself. However, the big finale lacks any forward motion or tension. As Bryan makes his way through the hotel, he takes out a few henchmen every 30 seconds or so. However, the sequence consistently pauses in between kills to show Bryan make his way through the hotel some more or to show Murad and his right hand man run away. Therefore, the sequence becomes a montage of violence instead of an exciting or tense action set piece to end the film on. The final boat shootout in Taken is exactly what this sequence should have been: tense, exciting, action packed, and thrilling.

But for all of my complaints about director Olivier Megaton's action scenes, there are still a few cool moments here and there. There's a really bad ass scene where Bryan walks into a room filled with Murad's henchmen and proceeds to gun them all down. When one of them kicks at Bryan, he catches the man's leg and repeatedly fires his gun into the man's foot! Ouch! There is also some pretty cool stunts during the film's car chase set piece. And even though I complained about the film's final gun fight, there are several bad ass kills and moments of violence in it to please even the pickiest of action fans like myself. 

My favorite screen shot in the film.

I also have to remind action fans out there that the Unrated Cut of Taken 2 is the way to go. The cut restores all blood and adds extra frames of violence cut from the tame PG-13 theatrical cut. Blame it on the M.P.A.A. or the studio's insistence on a bankable PG-13 product. But as always, I will only watch the unrated cut of Taken 1 and 2 from now on.

I am sad to report that Taken 2 does not beg repeat viewings like its excellent predecessor. The action scenes are lacking, the drama isn't as engaging, and the situation is neither tense or gripping. However, the film is a swift and entertaining actioner that occasionally delivers the goods and gives us Liam Neeson in prime ass kicking mode. It's just a shame that the film features such awful editing and photography. While I highly recommend Taken to all non-action fans, I can't say the same for Taken 2. Unless you love these characters, the franchise, or the genre, you are best off staying away from this subpar but entertaining sequel.

Rating: 6/10 - A mildly entertaining sequel that fails to match or surpass its excellent predecessor.

Franchise:

Taken (2008, dir. Pierre Morel)

Taken 2 (2012, dir. Olivier Megaton)

Taken 3 (2015, dir. Olivier Megaton)

Taken: Unrated Cut (2008) - Review

Director: Pierre Morel

Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Leland Orser

Country: France

Rating: Unrated

Run Time: 93 minutes

In today's day and age of action cinema, bad ass action icons are no longer the money makers they used  to be. General audiences have drifted towards big budget special effects heavy properties like Transformers, The Avengers, and The Fast and Furious films. The old icons of the 80's no longer pull in box office dollars like they used too. Most of the new films of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger don't even break even with their budgets. However, one French action film in 2008 seemed to prove that the action icon was not dead yet. Pierre Morel's Taken proved to be a huge hit with audiences as it made $226 million off of a measly $25 million budget.

Besides being a very dramatic, action packed, and body count heavy action film, Taken's key ingredient was star Liam Neeson. At the time of Taken's release, Liam Neeson was not typically known as an action star. Even though he had dabbled in action films like Darkman, Star Wars, and Rob Roy, those were just a few action films amongst Neeson's many dramas, romances, and comedies. But Taken seemed to sky rocket Neeson to action icon status. Since Taken, Neeson has starred in numerous action films including Unknown, Taken 2, The Grey, The A-Team, Non-Stop, Walk Among the Tombstones, and the eventual Taken 3. Liam Neeson helped make Taken a better film by bringing his kindness, charm, and Oscar nominated acting chops to a Steven Seagal / Jason Statham-esque action film produced and written by Luc Besson.

Neeson brings the pain in his breakout action film.

Taken has a fantastic and basic premise that attracts both general audiences and die hard action fans. Bryan Mills is an ex-CIA agent who has quit his job in order to live closer to his daughter. Due to his many years of service, Mills grew distant from his family and eventually lost both his daughter and his wife. Now all alone, Mills makes every effort to reconnect with his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) and his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen).

When Bryan's daughter goes off to Paris with a friend for vacation, she is quickly kidnapped by sex traffickers. Mills than sets out to Paris to track down the men who took his daughter and rescue her before she is lost forever. In Byran's words, "I will burn down the Eiffel Tower if I have too!"

What works so well for Taken is that it has a basic father/daughter premise that immediately draws you in. No offense to Jason Statham and Steven Seagal, but Liam Neeson comes off better in a film like this because he is such a fantastic actor. Neeson brings an incredible warmth to this film that makes me cheer for him. I want Bryan to reconnect with his daughter so badly because he is a good hearted man who wants to make up for his past mistakes. The film takes this story one step further though by having Kim get kidnapped and sending Bryan on a plane to Paris to kick some major butt. Now the film is a story all about what a father will do to get his daughter back from cruel men. This is a premise that any action or non-action fan can get behind because we get to see a father beat down tons of henchmen and bad guys in the process of trying to rescue his poor daughter. Kudos to Luc Besson for crafting a basic yet engaging action premise.

A Good Day to Die Hard's Radivoje Bukvic fires a gun at Neeson.

Bryan Mills is one of the great cinematic action characters like Casey Ryback in the Under Siege series, James Bond in the James Bond series, Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible series, Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones series, John McClane in the Die Hard series, or Paul Kersey in the Death Wish series. Mills has many great characteristics to him that make him a unique bad ass. I love Mills' meticulousness when it comes to wrapping a present for his daughter. He spends extra time pressing down on the paper to make sure that it wraps perfectly around the square box sized present. I also love Mills' sacrificial nature of quitting his job just so he can live near his daughter to make up for lost time. Neeson knows that he could be off helping the country and making money but chooses to reconcile with his family after so much damage and hurt. How can you not love this character?

It also helps that Bryan Mills is a certified bad ass. Liam Neeson did all of his own stunts for the film and it certainly shows. While the shootouts never reach a John Woo (Hard Boiled, The Killer) level of excellence and the fight scenes never reach a Yuen Woo Ping (Kill Bill, The Matrix) level of perfection, all of the action scenes are just impressive enough to wow any action fan. Neeson brings a hard hitting level of realism with his neck hitting, gun firing, and knife fighting skills. The action scenes aren't shot too terribly but they aren't majestic either.

It's worth noting that Liam Neeson doesn't kick any ass until 40 minutes into the film. I know that is a long wait for some but the dramatic build up makes it all worth it. Once Neeson hops in a taxi cab and starts beating the crap out of a human trafficking spotter, it's non-stop thrills from there. It's important to mention that you must watch the unrated cut (the original French cut to be exact) because the film contains far more violence, gun firing, and a more graphic torture scene. All of these additions push the film into the range of an "R" rating and distant it from its tame "PG-13" Bourne and Bond counterparts. While the film is not exactly "R" rated, the unrated cut restores enough numerous blood spurts and neck snaps to appease even the most hard core action fan.

Neeson guns down a lousy henchman.

There are two action scenes that really stand out to me in this film. The first is when Bryan Mills visits a house filled with sex traffickers. He plays it cool and pretends to be in control of a satellite that is watching the men and forces the men to pay him money in order for him to look the other way. After he has the men pay, he shows them a card that is written in Albanian. When he asks one of them to translate it, the man states, "Good luck." This is just how Mills heard an unknown kidnapper say "good luck" to him on the phone when his daughter was kidnapped. Neeson immediately smashes the man's head into the table and proceeds to kill every man in the house. It's an awesome action scene and makes great use of knives, human shields, and Neeson gunning down bastards dumb enough to take him on.

The other standout action scene is the big finale on the boat. Bryan tracks down his daughter's kidnappers to a large boat floating down a river in Paris. He works his way through the boat taking down as many henchmen as quietly as possible. However, he eventually has to break out the guns and a fantastic shootout ensues. There's some great stuntwork here. My favorite is when Neeson jumps over a couch and fires from below it to take out a guard. There's also a great action beat where Neeson grabs a guard's MP5 and turns it around and fires it through the door into the guard. The action choreographers and screenwriters of Taken were smart to incorporate various action scenes that range from a car chase in a construction sight, a fight scene in a house, a fist fight in a basement, and a shootout on a moving boat. This way, the action is never boring and no scene ever feels exhausting or tiresome.

The most infamous scene in the film is when Bryan picks up the phone and speaks to his daughter's captor. Liam Neeson delivers a chilling and bad ass monolouge that is one of the greatest lines in bad ass cinema. It's more like a paragraph than a one liner, but it's completely unforgettable. In the words of Neeson, "I will look for you. I will find you. And I will kill you."

These guys picked the wrong dad to mess with.

In today's day and age of lengthy films and over long run times, Taken is a breath of fresh air. Clocking in at only 90 minutes, Taken is incredibly brisk and will be over before you know it. I think that Taken is the last truly great EuropaCorp action film. Since Taken, EuropaCorp's quality output has drastically decreased. Their newer films (Transporter 3, From Paris With Love, Taken 2, Colombiana, Lock Out, 3 Days to Kill, etc) are usually low grade to middle grade action films that wish they were as fresh and exciting as older Luc Besson / EuropaCorp productions like Transporter 1 and 2, District B13, Taxi, and Unleashed.

I also have qualms with the fact that we don't see Bryan Mills save any prostitutes other than the ones that lead him to his daughter. Mills could at least alert the police to save these poor girls or to their whereabouts. This especially bugs me at the end of the film when Neeson finally reunites with his daughter on the boat. Even though all of the bad guys are dead and his daughter is in his arms, there are still two other captive girls whose fates are left unexplained. Did Neeson end up saving these girls or were their fates left unexplained due to the film's weak editing? Little things like this heavily affect the movie for me because the film took the time early on to show just how meticulous Bryan Mills is when he wraps a birthday present.

Neeson takes cover behind a poor car.

Even though Taken is not a perfect action film, it is an absolutely awesome one and one of the best contemporary mainstream action films I have seen. Taken is a lot like Die Hard because a lot of non-action fans love the film. This is mostly due to the relatable father / daughter aspect of the story. We don't have Bryan Mills' bad ass skills but we do have the love and care for our daughters and family the same way that Mills loves and cares for his daughter. I think Taken is an excellent screener for father's day if you ask me.

Taken is a solid action film that catapulted Neeson to action icon status overnight. The film benefits from engaging drama, good performances, solid action scenes, and a brisk run time. Neeson proves himself to be today's box office king as far as action icons come. I highly recommend the unrated cut of this film and hope that all action and non-action fans check the film out!

Rating: 9/10 - A rare mainstream action flick that is both fantastic and rewatchable.

Franchise:
Taken (2008, dir. Pierre Morel)
Taken 2 (2012, dir. Olivier Megaton)
Taken 3 (2015, dir. Olivier Megaton)

Action Icon Profile: Liam Neeson

Profession: Actor
Born: June 7, 1952
Birth Name: Liam John Neeson

Career Summary:
Liam Neeson is an actor who has tackled nearly every genre and type of character in film. His roles have ranged all over the place. Throughout his expansive career, Neeson has occasionally tackled an action role in several films including Darkman, Rob Roy, and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. It wasn't until 2008 when Neeson obtained action icon status with his performance as Bryan Mills in his definitive action film, Taken. Since than, Liam Neeson has become a meme of his own on the internet. People joke that there is something wrong with any scene involving Liam Neeson where he isn't killing people. Since Taken, Neeson has tackled old fashioned 80's / 90's throwback films such as Unknown, Taken 2, and Non-Stop.

Personal Favorite: Taken (Unrated Cut) (2009)

Films:
Excalibur (1981)
Krull (1983)
The Delta Force (1986)
The Dead Pool (1988)
Next of Kin (1989)
Darkman (1990)
Rob Roy (1995)
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
Gangs of New York (2002)
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Batman Begins (2005)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Warddrobe (2005)
Seraphim Falls (2007)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
Taken (2008)
Clash of the Titans (2010)
The A-Team (2010)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of Dawn Treader (2010)
The Next Three Days (2010)
Unknown (2011)
The Grey (2012)
Wrath of the Titans (2012)
Battleship (2012)
Taken 2 (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Non-Stop (2014)
A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)
Taken 3 (2015)
Run All Night (2015)