Taken 2 Review - 1 Star

Fortunately everybody likes Liam Neeson and I have a feeling fans will forgive him this terrible sequel, “Taken 2.”  The original gave Neeson the role of an ex CIA guy who goes to Paris to retrieve his daughter from human traffickers.  Now father and daughter (Maggie Grace) are back in L.A. where Liam second guesses his decision to divorce her mom, beautiful Famke Janssen.  Off on a security job in Istanbul, Famke and daughter Maggie Grace decide to surprise Dad with a visit.  Sure enough, the family of the guys Liam dispatched in the first movie come looking for revenge.  The plot requires Neeson to instruct Maggie Grace on ways to retrieve him and the fast fading ex wife and mother.   Those instructions include lobbing grenades all over the city, which is the point at which the audience started giggling.  Then Maggie, who in the movie can’t pass her driver’s test, steals an old Mercedes cab with Liam and out runs most of the Istanbul police force.  Then the snickers really fired up, especially thanks to dialogue best described as ridiculous. You’ll hear a lot of jokes about being “Taken” if you pay to watch “Taken 2”.  Pay attention.  I hope Liam took the guys who dreamed this up to the cleaners.  Does it deliver what it promises?  No.  Is it entertaining?  No.  Is it worth the price of admission?  No.