Taken 2

Liam Neeson (a.k.a. Brian Mills) security officer, ex-husband, father, and giant is back on the scene again, not quite in real time. Not quite, in fact, in real... anything. Mr Luc Besson gives us another story of action, torture, running and car chases - but this time with a twist. This one is a 12A.

In Taken we have Mill's daughter (Maggie Grace, Lockout) stolen away by drug and human traffickers, and so it's up to him, in 72 hours, to search for her kidnappers, find them, and kill them. Also, rescue her. So, we're a couple years down the line at the start of the new film and for a nice break from his ex-wife's second divorce, her and Brian's daughter are taken to Istanbul for a holiday. As Brian and his ex-wife start to hit it off again, in come the fathers, brothers and uncles of EVERYONE killed in the first film. They want Mills, and they want him to suffer.

Now, the first one wasn't a classic. It was funny, silly and action-y. First problem for number two, lost the action. It definitely wasn't taken to any sort of new level. The fight sequences are cringing at the hits before you have the chance to - it's like a film laughing at its own jokes. I understand it was cut to get its low rating but it is no film for a twelve year old - never mind younger.

Then again, I am glad of one thing. This film, I like to think, understood the success of the original and then made a move to do the same thing again. The rating was a minor hiccup compared to the comedy gold of Liam Nesson hiding behind walls only to jump out (all 8ft. of himself) on top of the bad guys.

It is totally silly, it's lost the action appeal of the former, but if you're a fan of the first, go for it - no doubt you'll enjoy it.

In case you can't tell - I just love Liam Neeson.