In 2009 , Liam Neeson ’s vocation was rekindled thanks to the success ofTaken , an activity film released intimately a year earlier in France . Neeson limn Bryan Mills , a former CIA agentive role whose “ particular set of skills ” derive in handy when his 17 - year - old daughter was kidnapped by human seller in Europe . Takenwas such a monolithic hit that it transformed Neeson into an action star , lead toTaken 2 in 2012 . And in 2015,Taken 3closed out the trilogy and bring the saga to an end .
The trouble is that there was no saga , and the story ofTakenwas already over after the first film . carry 2contrived a cause to revisit Bryan and his family because they were targeted in revenge for his actions in the original movie . Conversely , Taken 3had no bare business for Bryan to complete . It exist simply to cash in on the two movies before it , and Neeson pocketed $ 20 million to recapitulate his role for a third time . And can you find fault him ? If anyone deserved a big handicap for these film , it was Neeson .
Taken 3made its American debut ten old age ago this month , and it ’s confessedly not the classic that the first motion picture was . Olivier Megaton helmed the 2d and third train picture after the original managing director , Pierre Morel , did not take back for the continuation . Although few would contend thatTaken 2or3are as good as the first movie , they ’re not without their charms . In fact , take 3will soon be available onHulustarting on February 1 , so it may be due for a resurgence . In the lag , for the 10th anniversary ofTaken 3 , we ’re need one last look back at whether the pic has held up over the last decade .
Everybody loves Bryan
The big reason why there are two take sequel and a on the face of it sempiternal parade ofLiam Neeson action moviesis that viewer genuinely like his character , Bryan Mills . In the first film , Bryan was mostly alienated from his ex - wife , Lenore ( Famke Janssen ) , and their girl , Kim ( Maggie Grace ) . But he start out the hazard to scavenge his relationship with both of them by singlehandedly rescuing Kim from a fate worse than demise . Takeneven has a feel - good conclusion for Bryan . He does n’t get his wife back , but he strengthens his bond with Kim .
Taken 3offers a brief glimpse of Bryan ’s ordinary aliveness coming together as he and Lenore flirt with rekindling their relationship as her 2nd union come down aside . He ’s a fibre with a lot of good will from the interview , and that ’s why there was so much willingness to follow his story one last prison term . Even the obvious edits to hide Neeson ’s physical limitations did n’t ache that tenderness . However , the action is perceptibly lack compared to the first picture show . This sequel would n’t exploit at all if not for Neeson ’s presence and personal magnetism .
Death by plot twist
Hopefully , Janssen was also well - yield for her third metre as Lenore , since her character is written out early in the film . Just when Lenore and Bryan seem to be falling in love again , she thread up murdered with her body dumped in Bryan ’s flat to frame him . Janssen deserved a good sendoff than that , but there would n’t be much of a story without her character ’s death . If Bryan ’s freedom was n’t jeopardized , and there was no one to get revenge on , then this would have been a very different movie .
Forest Whitaker does his best Tommy Lee Jones impression
One of the big disability ofTaken 3is that it ’s almost insufferable for the plastic film to give Bryan a suitable adversary . Since one of the main villains , Russian mobster Oleg Malankov ( Sam Spruell ) , just registers , the movie introduces Forest Whitaker as Inspector Frank Dotzler , the man pursue Bryan after he ’s frame for murder . It was meant to create a dynamical like to the one betweenHarrison Fordand Tommy Lee Jones ’ eccentric inThe Fugitive .
To this film ’s credit rating , Dotzler is not an half-wit . He does blame up on the clues that Bryan is innocent . alas , Taken 3never successfully make Dotzler into a case as compelling as Bryan , and he ’s an reconsideration in the story ’s determination . Whitaker does the well potential line that anyone could have done under those circumstances , but his eccentric is underwritten and largely spare in the luxurious scheme of thing .
A Kim Possible hostage
Maggie Grace had a thankless labor inTaken , as her case expend most of the movie off silver screen as a kidnapping victim . accept 2gave Kim some measure of redemption as she helped her founding father break innocent when he was held captive . regrettably , Taken 3goes back to the well of making Kim a surety yet again during the closing sequence . Some diverting scene have Kim evading Dotzler ’s surveillance and assist her father ’s search for answer . But ultimately , Kim exists to be rescued by her male parent . Again .
It would have been a mistake if the film render to reinvent Kim as a badass — as24season 3 tried to do with its Kim — but that does n’t conceal the fact thatTaken‘s Kim is more of a patch equipment than a fiber . That ’s why it ’s unvoiced to wish about her fate apart from her connexion to Bryan .
Weasel downgrade
Xander Berkeley played Lenore ’s 2nd husband , Stuart St. John , in the firstTaken , but he did n’t return forTaken 3 . Instead , Mission : out of the question 2‘s Dougray Scott took over the role of Stuart . And unfortunately , few could pull off Stuart ’s weasel - like character better than Berkeley . Scott is a good actor , but he ’s just not as convincing as Stuart , especially once the full extent of his liaison with Lenore ’s death is revealed .
This film has the same issue with Stuart that it did with Bryan ’s other opposer : There plainly is n’t another character inTaken 3who can convincingly hold their own against Bryan . We care more about Bryan escaping his circumstances than about any of his would - be antagonists .
There are sure far worse action movies thanTaken 3 , and it ’s still better than many of Neeson ’s other moving picture in the genre . If you genuinely loved the firstTaken , then sit through the two sequel should n’t be a problem . But on its own terminus , direct 3is largely forgettable . You ’ll probably be better off just watching the original picture again .
economic rent or buyTaken 3onPrime Video .
