Taken 2

Check out the poster that spoofs Taken 2!  Hahaha!  Don't you love it?

First off, did any of my dear readers see Taken (that is, the original)?  It is a good piece of thriller movie-making.

In that film, a CIA operative's daughter, played by pretty Maggie Grace, is kidnapped in Paris by some very bad dudes who specialize in sex-trafficking.   Dad, who "does what he does best" (assassinations!), comes to the rescue.  The film sort of grabs you, if you like the go-get-the-terrorists-and-save-your-daughter theme.

So naturally, thinking I'd get more of the same, I watched installment two.  What a mistake!  The poster pretty much sums up of the folly of "taking" Taken to the next level.  But lest you think I will totally pan the sequel, I will point out a nice silver lining:  great action scenes!

Never the spoiler, I can't say much more than what the advertising clips provide:  last time they took his daughter, this time they are after him!  Well, sort of.   His wife just happens to be with him, so they're going after her too.  You see, the bad guys seek revenge, because Liam (our CIA hero) knocked off many of the terrorists' kin when he got his daughter back in the original film.

The silver lining:  As I suggested, the film offers really well-done chase, shooting, and running scenes, all in the streets and on the rooftops of Istanbul!  In fact, if I ever go to Isbanbul, I will think of the scenes in this film.

Here's a tip:  Maybe fast-forward through the stupid, insipid family scenes that open the flick, and go straight to the Istanbul part, where things really heat up!

Grade?  Hmmmm.....  I always assigned a D instead of an F because I was a soft touch in the classroom.  Here, I might generously say B-....  or is that C+?

If you see this flick, I hope you don't feel "taken!"