Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
In Istanbul, retired CIA operative Bryan Mills and his wife are taken hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while rescuing his daughter.
Taken 2 is a largely formulaic sequel that recycles the premise of the original with diminishing returns. The plot is thin and predictable, offering little beyond a role-reversal of the kidnapping scenario. The acting is serviceable but Neeson and the supporting cast are given little to work with. The Istanbul setting provides some visual interest but the cinematography is hampered by frantic, choppy editing that obscures the action sequences. Novelty is severely lacking — this is a by-the-numbers sequel that repackages the original's formula with almost no fresh ideas. The ending resolves predictably with no dramatic weight or surprise.