Taken 3 (12a)
Directed by: Olivier Megaton
Starring: Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace
Running time: 109 min
Ex-government operative Bryan Mills is accused of a ruthless murder he never committed or witnessed. As he is tracked and pursued, Mills brings out his particular set of skills to find the true killer and clear his name.
Liam Neeson is back for a third outing as the bad-ass ex-CIA one-man-nightmare-to-all-who-stand- in his-way; Bryan Mills. This time however, things are more personal ever. The trailer, below, which has the main plot point outlined in mili-seconds explains why he is angry (no spoilers but watch the trailer for the main gist).
Taken 3 is perhaps the most disappointing out of the trilogy. The film relies too much on action and dialogue with one-liners that in the first outing were witty and threatening, but now just come off as tired and unimaginative.
The action is split into hand-to-hand with gun fights and car chases. The hand-to-hand combat is as fast paced as ever, with blocks, punches, headbutts and kicks that are on par with any of the original Jason Bourne movies. The car chases however are fast paced, split cut editing whilst not as adrenaline fuelled as the Fast and Furious movies, may still get a little blooding pumping for the audience.
Sadly though, these are the only enjoyable moments to be had in this sequel. Liam Neeson looks tired in so many scenes, especially when he is seen running; indeed, though the film is fast paced, big Liam is quite literally jogging at times though through editing it tries (but fails miserably) to give the impression he is at full pelt!
Director Oliver Megaton, who directed Taken 2, has truly dispensed with the gritty realism and blood churning violence from the first movie and presented a very watered down action film with this 12a entry. With bullets ripping through walls and plaster, bad guys don’t even lose a single drop of blood when shot! Added to that, the bad guys are once again from the Russian Bloc despite it being set in LA!
The storyline adds a twist that most audiences will have picked up before the final reel, but it’s not the script that’s jaw dropping, it’s the Houdini-esque escapes that Bryan Mills pulls off that will have you laughing and scratching your head in utter disbelief.
Taken 3 is a mindless film that, if it weren’t for its leading star, would most likely be found in the bargain bin straight-to-DVD section. If you like Liam Neeson or are in the mood for some no brainer entertainment, then this is perfect. If, on the other hand, you are expecting an improvement on the first slightly disappointing sequel, then best to give this one a pass.
2 out of 5 Nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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