Review: Taken 3 (2014)

'Don't Trust Anyone'

★

It's no surprise when the third film of a movie trilogy is the worst one. "Taken 3" is the disappointing film that had all the potential of the first two films, but seemed to lack more than succeed.

In "Taken 3 (2014)," ex-covert operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) finds himself on the run after being framed for the murder of his ex-wife, Lenore (Famke Janssen). Determined to clear his name and protect his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), Mills employs his particular set of skills to evade law enforcement and track down the real killers. Along the way, he uncovers a deeper conspiracy involving Russian gangsters and corrupt officials. The film culminates in a tense showdown where Mills exposes the true culprits, revealing that Lenore's murder was part of a plot to manipulate him and his family.

The biggest problem I have with "Taken 3" is the story and the villain. The plot felt rushed and convoluted, with too many convenient coincidences and plot holes. And Stuart, the villain, lacked depth and menace, making him a forgettable adversary for Bryan Mills. It's a shame, because the first two movies had well-crafted stories and formidable villains. Stuart was just a minor character that played a brief role in the 1st movie and had no role in the second because he wasn't even in it. Did the writers forget what Lenore said about her relationship with Stuart in the second film? Taken 2's plot makes more sense. It's connected to the first film. The father of the man Bryan Mills killed, is the villain.

"Taken 3" has taken everything the first two movies did and turned it into a pizza left out in the sun for three days. There are so many things wrong with this movie. The plot was crummy, the editing was atrocious, the acting felt off, the pacing was longer than needed, the CGI was laughable, and the cinematography was too bright, to the point where my eyes began to suffer.