WARNING: I don’t know who you are. Actually, I do. You’re one of the three people who read my blog. If you are looking for ransom, I don’t have any money. But what I do have are a very particular set of SPOILERS, spoilers I have acquired over a two hour period spent watching a movie you haven’t seen yet. Spoilers that can ruin your movie going experience. If you click this post off now, that will be the end of it. But if you don’t, I will spoil this movie for you.
Actually, is it even possible for this movie franchise to have a spoiler? By now, you know off the bat someone is getting taken.
I enjoyed the original Taken movie. I thought it was very original. I was surprised that Neeson, a traditional dramatic actor, was able to morph into an action star. The concept was original – the bad guys picked the wrong guy to mess with.
Seriously – have you ever just been walking around, minding your own business, someone insults you, you let it it go and walk right by, because you’re a normal law-abiding citizen, but secretly you hope that said rude person will be rude to the wrong person and said person will kick their ass?
What? No? That’s just me? OK, well I guess that’s why I thoroughly enjoyed the original Taken then. It was enjoyable to watch the fallout that occurred when the bad guys inadvertently incurred the wrath of Neeson’s character, a highly trained badass ex-CIA agent.
Taken 2? Well, they flipped it around a little bit. Neeson and his ex-wife get taken, and then their daughter has to help them escape.
Hollywood could have stopped there but recently we’ve received Taken 3 – The Search for More Cash.
Caveat – as action films go, it was pretty decent, and frankly, above average for what is usually released in January. January tends to be the month where Hollywood releases the films that are real stinkers. I can’t say this movie stinks, it just does in comparison to the original.
Because seriously – how many times can someone in this guy’s life be taken???
One note – Neeson’s character’s current husband is changed over to a) be played by a different character and b) be the bad guy. I’m not a fan of it when Hollywood does rewrites like that in the hopes that no one will notice.
Here’s what the pitch meeting was like:
PRODUCER 1: We’re going to rewrite the character of Stuart the current husband to be the bad guy.
PRODUCER 2: That’s fine. That’s something that only a lame, obscure book blogger with 3 followers would notice.
All in all – not the best of the series, but better than usual for what you get in the first month of the year.
Bookshelf Battle 
11% approval rating on Rotten Toamtoes. Think I might swerve this one. Good review, though.
It’s only good in comparison to the other drek that comes out in January. OK, he was innocent of taking his wife, but he does commit various acts of violence, shoots at people, blows stuff up, beats up police officers, all while trying to clear his name….all which, I mean even if innocent of the “taking” he’d still end up locked up for the other stuff but oh well, it’s just a movie.
I am excited to watch this. Been looking forward to see this.
“How many times can someone in this guy’s life be taken???” 😀 My thoughts as well.
First was very good, a surprise hit. Second was an acceptable and understandable money grab…not great but ok. Third was pretty bad. I mean, he doesn’t even get a happy ending i.e. being able to win back his wife with his ability to find taken people skills, and also the step-father/new husband was actually a good guy in the first film, paying the money Liam needed to find the takers but they changed it to him being a bad guy in third. Oh well. Those are my complaints.
Probably a bunch of writers doing their job to make money for the studio.