Alex Cross

Based on James Patterson's novel "Cross", we see Matthew Fox (Vantage Point) and Tyler Perry (Diary of a Mad Black Woman) playing the psychopathic sadist Picassso and the psychological profiler Alex Cross, respectively. Picasso is a hired hand assassin taking out high level banking executive, and Cross is tasked with stopping him, but after foiling one of the killer's hits and hurting his pride - it becomes far more personal for everyone involved.

My major thoughts when watching this film? It probably was a good genre book. Everything about it seemed like it was so faithful to an original text, that in places that made it a bit creeky. What works in a book in the way of dialogue and plot device can look and sound a little silly when it's seen on the screen. The same problem comes up in casting, mainly in the form of Richard Brookwell, the head of the Police Unit played by the majestic John C. McGinley (Point Break). Basically, Brookwell seems to be a well meaning, if a little naive police inspector. John C. McGinley, may be well meaning in most cases, but he's also a bad-ass. He should always be the badass.

To be fair, these are my few criticisms of the film. After the tirade of cool-psychopathy in End of Watch, I was very pleased to see some dumb, and silly action with no over pushing of crazy, horrifying agendas. This was just telling a basic police chase story, and that, for me at least, is good fun. Might have made an interesting TV series along the same vain as 24 or Lie to Me, that way we could know the characters a little more.

Finally, is this film worth seeing?
If you want to have a bit of a laugh at chunky dialogue, and genuinely quite tense action sequences - go for it. There are problems, and it's no where near a great film, but it does exactly what it says on the tin. If you like the look of the trailer, you wont waste your time going to see it.

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.