Today’s quick review: Taken 3. Framed for the murder of his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen), ex-CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) goes on the run from the police, sparking a city-wide manhunt led by Sergeant Franck Dotzler (Forest Whitaker). As Bryan races to stay ahead of the police and track down the murderer, his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) and her stepfather Stuart St. John (Dougray Scott) struggle to cope with their loss.
Taken 3 is an action thriller that continues the story of Bryan Mills and his family. Taken 3 varies up the series formula by eschewing the usual kidnapping and thrusting Bryan straight into the thick of it. Bigger stunts and a more elaborate plot push the movie in the direction of a more conventional action flick. But this comes with a decreased focus on the strengths of the previous films, making the change a lateral move at best.
Taken 3 gets a few benefits from its focus on action. No longer as tightly tied to the series’ gritty tone and quasi-realistic stunts, the movie can indulge in wilder chases, bigger explosions, and more gunplay. The plot has a clearer progression and even a mystery of sorts, beginning with Bryan’s setup and building to the revelations later in the film. Neither the stunts nor the plot are the best the genre has to offer, but they are decent.
There are drawbacks to these changes and, depending on your tastes, they can be crippling. The premise undoes much of what the previous films worked to set up. The plot logic has a couple of key holds in it, in particular the question of why Bryan flees the police in the first place. Liam Neeson does a fine job once again, but the script isn’t as sharp as the first film. For his part, Forest Whitaker has fairly little to do.
Watch Taken 3 if you’re a fan of the first two Taken films and wouldn’t mind a shift to something a little less gritty. Measured against the original Taken, Taken 3 falls short, missing the polished craftsmanship and sense of tension. Taken on its own terms, the film is a decent thriller without much new to offer. For those just looking for a bit of action, it’s a fine pick. Those hoping for a worthy successor will be disappointed.
For a more grounded thriller with a similar premise, try The Fugitive. For a similar flavor of action with a bit more spectacle, try The Transporter and its sequels. For an action thriller on an even larger scale that also takes its franchise in a new direction, try Live Free or Die Hard.
6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for middle-of-the-road action without the strengths of the original.