Three stars. Rating: PG-13, for relentless violence and action
By Derrick Bang • Originally published in The Davis Enterprise, 10.5.12
I often lament the market-driven
ubiquity of sequels, many (most?) of which not only fail to live up to their
predecessors, but often taint those happy memories.
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| Do not get between this man and his family. When Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) runs into a kidnapping plot resulting from unfinished business lingering from this film's predecessor, he does what he does best: shoots and kills, shoots and kills. Sadly, though, the bloom has worn off this particular rose. |
Case in point: Taken 2, which
became inevitable after its 2008 predecessor turned into a surprise hit that
earned $224 million in worldwide box office.
This new entry isn’t a bad film,
per se; it’s simply unnecessary. It covers no new ground, except to soften the
long-estranged relationships between Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) and his ex-wife,
Lenore (Famke Janssen), and their outrageously spoiled teenage daughter, Kim
(Maggie Grace).
But that’s not the meat of
director Olivier Megaton’s amped-up action thriller, which exists mostly so
that Bryan can meticulously execute dozens of anonymous tough guys, who clearly
flunked out of Thug School. Rarely have we seen such a careless, sloppy and
unskilled collection of ruffians; even with automatic weapons, they couldn’t
hit the broad side of a barn. They dishonor the tattoo that marks their clan.
In fairness, contrivance and
coincidence also played a major role in the first Taken, but we weren’t quite
as distracted by narrative implausibility; it was fun to see Neeson emerge as
an unlikely but persuasively competent black-ops veteran. Mostly, Neeson’s
Bryan was mesmerizing because of his shrewd and almost uncanny intelligence.
Sure, he kicked plenty of ass, but mostly he out-thought his opponents. The
concept felt fresh.
Yes, Taken 2 finds a way to
further explore Bryan’s smarts; scripters Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen are
savvy enough not to mess with success. But that’s the point; they also haven’t
expanded upon that formula. In some ways, Taken 2 feels less like a sequel
and more like a remake; it suffers badly from a sense of sameness.
But to cases:
Things have indeed improved
between Bryan and Lenore, in part because Stuart, her second husband — never seen
and only referenced; I guess Xander Berkeley wasn’t available to reprise the
role — has been exposed as a louse. Bryan still monitors Kim too closely,
although most parents could forgive his paranoia; after all, she was kidnapped
and almost sold into white slavery.
Bryan’s insistence on
über-scheduling includes helping Kim pass her driving test, in order to secure
a license: a plot sidebar that blatantly telegraphs an eventual car chase with
an ill-prepared Kim behind the wheel. In fairness, it’s a corker of a chase,
but I’m getting ahead of things.
When Stuart bails on a planned
family vacation, Bryan offers a trip to Istanbul; he has a bodyguarding
assignment, and would be happy to share that exotic city with Lenore and Kim.
Ah, but Bryan doesn’t know about
Murad Krasniqi (Rade Serbedzija), a Balkan whose son was one of many killed by
our hero in the first film. Murad vows vengeance, both for his son and for all
the other young villagers who were executed by this American; the fact that all
these “sons, brothers and grandsons” were violent scum who kidnapped young
women seems not to be an issue. Parents forgive all sins, I guess.
The plan involves a three-person
snatch, but Murad’s goons are only partially successful; Kim manages to slip
through the net. Even more conveniently, Bryan isn’t searched properly, and
thus is able to call his daughter via a nifty little gadget concealed in one
sock. For a time, then, the narrative comes to life as the cosseted Kim rallies
and becomes an incredibly resourceful — and lucky — amateur operative.
Emphasis on lucky. Even though
Besson and Kamen attempt to set up a logical means by which Bryan can remotely
help Kim orchestrate a family reunion, the necessary suspension of disbelief
will be beyond many viewers. The degree to which Kim successfully navigates her
way through a wholly unfamiliar and quite confusing city — and so quickly! —
won’t merely raise eyebrows; they’ll literally leap off your forehead.
Okay, fine; credibility never has
been an issue with Besson, who I’m convinced is responsible for half the movies
made in France these days. The writer/director/producer has a marvelous talent
for marrying engaging actors with high-concept action storylines, going all the
way back to 1990’s La Femme Nikita, which begat a film and TV franchise that
hasn’t quit to this day.
Since then, Besson helped make a
star of Jason Statham, with the Transporter series (three entries, and
counting); he also paired Gary Oldman with young Natalie Portman in 1994’s
marvelous The Professional; and dabbled in science-fiction (The Fifth
Element) and children’s fantasies (Arthur and the Invisibles and its two
sequels).
Besson is most at home with
sizzling, high-octane — and highly improbable — thrillers such as District B13 and, yes, Taken. And while Megaton may claim credit as director here — having
also filled that chair with Besson’s Transporter 3 and Colombiana — Taken
2 feels every inch like a film Besson directed himself: lots of flash, plenty
of explosions and gunfire, and a primal urgency fed, in this case, by a man’s
devotion to his daughter and ex-wife. How can we not relate?
Production designer Sébastien
Inizan and cinematographer Romain Lacourbas do great things with Istanbul’s
mean streets, claustrophobic corridors and cacophonous markets; much of the
film was shot on location, with an eye toward landmarks such as the Süleymaniye
Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.
Neeson continues to be cool, calm
and capable, always rising to the demand of a given crisis. He gives Bryan the
emotional grace of a bull in a china shop, but that’s the nature of the
character; this isn’t a guy who’s comfortable with his feminine side. Most
crucially, he really sells the material; when he utters the fateful statement,
during a key phone call with his daughter — “Kim, your mother and I are going
to be taken” — we can’t help feeling the thrill.
As iconic statements go, with its
variant well remembered from the first film, it’s a corker.
Janssen, happily, shows a softer
side this time out; she badly overplayed the bitch card in the first film.
Unfortunately, “softer” quickly morphs into “helpless,” which is rather
insulting for entirely different reasons. It’s also weird how Bryan keeps
charging off at key moments, leaving her “safely” behind, when in fact she’s
anything but safe. Like I’ve been saying, stupid and contrived.
Grace, never an actress with much
range, steps up reasonably well to her greater challenges this time out. One
does tire, however, of hearing her squeal “I can’t!” every time her father
tells her to drive faster, faster, faster, during the aforementioned car chase.
(It should be mentioned, in
passing, that Besson often displays a tendency to hire actresses without much
range; I’m still wincing from my film’s length exposure to Natalya Rudakova,
the talentless bimbo who pretty much ruined Transporter 3.)
Serbedzija does little but growl
and radiate menace; we never get a bead on Murad as a character. Indeed, I was
intrigued to read, in the press notes, that Murad “...is not a criminal by
profession.” You coulda fooled me.
I wish we could have seen more of
Bryan’s former CIA colleagues: the trio of Sam (Leland Orser), Casey (Jon
Gries) and Bernie (D.B. Sweeney). Flimsy female leads aside, Besson does
possess a talent for great supporting characters, and these three — returning
from equally brief appearances in “Taken” — are fun and endearing. Too bad they
don’t player a larger role in these events.
But that would detract from
Neeson’s image as a lone wolf avenger.
“What are you going to do?” Kim
wails at one point.
“What I do best,” her father
replies.
But that’s actually the problem:
What Bryan Mills does best, this second time around, isn’t that interesting.
His blindfolded navigation skills aren’t nearly as captivating as, say, Jason
Statham’s dynamic physicality; Bryan only shoots and kills, shoots and kills.
He never misses; his adversaries always miss. Pretty thin gruel for a sequel.
And what could be next? Will
Bryan turn commando again when somebody snatches the family dog?
Really, Luc, you should have let
this concept go with just one successful shot in the barrel.
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