REVIEW: Taken 3 (2015)
Runtime: 112 Mins
Rated: PG-13
What To Expect: Fatigue. And really, really horrible action sequences
Liam Neeson is now guilty of getting high off of his own gear, as the saying goes about successful dealers who ending up blowing everything by indulging too much. Taken reinvented him as a successful action star and manly movie A-lister, but if he was guilty of returning to the well once with a shitty sequel that didn’t deserve to be made, what’s his excuse this time, for a third one that is even worse and quite possibly the worst movie of his career? You’re guilty Liam. You knew it would be shit, and you’re already not ruling out a Taken 4? Time to consider movies being thrown at you more carefully.
The story has Bryan Mills framed for the murder of his wife, he then uses a particular set of skills to evade the law and, funnily enough, break so many additional laws in the process that surely even after they ultimately find him innocent of murder, they’d have another life sentence waiting for him anyway. Beating up 15+ policemen and causing untold thousands in criminal damage? Setting off explosives in a crowded high school anyone? Surely a minimal re-write would’ve cleared up the many absurdities in Taken 3, those just mentioned being among the least offensive. Taken 3 jumps the shark, breaks the rules, shakes the camera and insults our intelligence.
Action movies can push the boundaries of credibility, so long as they at least give us a good time with the old chasing and fight sequences. Well let me tell you, Taken 3 has some of the worst action sequences I’ve ever seen. They are violently unintelligible and have the worst editing seen in any movie ever released, and I mean the worst editing ever. This time director Olivier Megaton has gone too far. You’d have to see it (or suffer it) to appreciate just how bad it is. It’s a total mess.
Also, by this third entry in the movie Bryan Mills is showing less vulnerabilities than ever and is getting soft in his old age and doesn’t like killing, like Iron Man in a leather jacket. All of this is a pity, because the film had a great cast and the old ‘fugitive’ yarn is hard to screw up when it comes to manly movies. But ultimately, what a blemish on Liam Neeson’s career.
Don’t even see this movie out of curiosity. It’s one of those movies that you know is bad by the 10 minute mark, you’ll regret it, trust me.
Jay Beezy
January 13, 2015 at 1:03 am
After all of that negativity, you manage to give it 4/10? I agree with the negativity, not the rating.
Also, are you not doing a Manliest Movies of 2014 list?
TheOldMcClane
January 13, 2015 at 2:24 am
Wow. Rated lower than EX 3? That’s saying something.
Saverio
January 13, 2015 at 2:27 am
I was literally about to compare this to EX3 & ask which was worse! I swear I was reading this article & saying to myself, “this sounds like EX3” when talking about the worse action sequences ever & worst editing ever. Cause that’s what EX3 was to me!
The Night Rider
January 13, 2015 at 12:35 pm
You can’t see literally nothing It’s so bad it pisses you off, five times worse than the most chaotic Bourne scenes.
Mucho Macho
January 13, 2015 at 4:00 am
The movie was like a B movie ripoff of The Fugitive.
things i would have changed:
1) Keep the original actor that played Stuart. They changed him to make him younger. Fucks with the continuity. Keeping with that same topic, also would have brought back kim’s boyfriend from part #2…again , keep continuity. Plus..i thought in #2 Bryan’s wife pretty much said her marriage was over.
2) Megatron has the same problem that a lot of Music Video educated directors have, they dont know how to find those “tragically dramatic moments” in their films.
“Hey ..my wife gets murdered..no problem..i am kicking ass in 5 seconds”. No real dramatic weight to Lenore’s death.
4) First 1 was , is & will always be the best.
No question about that.
Listen..Liam got offered like $20 million to do it. Since so many people make a big fuzz about his age, i guess he figures that his time is limited in the action genre. Seriously some people act shocked that a man over 50 can throw a punch.
i still think Die Fart 5 was worst.
Mega-shake-dcam-aton is not a good director. But Besson likes him & gives him jobs. That or he has pictures of him doing naughty things.
5) Run All Night looks good though & i liked Walk Among Tombstones a lot.
6) In the end..Bryan Mills only good luck is at the box office..cause if u are related to him..your days are numbered
Jay Beezy
January 13, 2015 at 4:05 am
Agreed about the continuity, the Taken 2 ending seemed to make it clear they were a happy family again.
I always saw his final action calling as the omega villain in the Fast franchise. If the Fast guys feel like it’s time to end, let’s hope Neeson still has some juice left in him by then.
Mucho Macho
January 13, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Listen..i always said Death Wish 3 was a great example of how an older action star should be used. Eastwood has been amazing since the 90’s when he started getting the “too old ” comments. Look at “In the Line of Fire” as an example of a great action movie with an older leading man. Doesnt take a lot of strengh @ the end of the day to pull a trigger.
i always felt Pierce Brosnan had life left as Bond but people started with the he is is ” Too Old” shit & he got replaced. Everytime i go to Costco the caffeteria is packed with relatively young people, all with asses the size of pianos. None of them look like action heroes.
Neeson ( unlike Seagal) has kept in shape..looks like a dude in his mid 40’s still at times. But..soon enough they will start giving him more shit for his age & he wont do these type of roles anymore. So in a way..i dont blame him for cashing in..unlike say Willis for example, Neeson became a superstar late in life..much like Grillo is
becoming..so they cashing checks b4 they stop coming. Overall..Neeson ‘s career since “Taken ” has been pretty Awesome. I saw “Taken 3 “after i had another shot of special eggnog , so i guess i wasnt in such a bad
mood.
But i am cool with this been the last 1.
If u know Bryan Mills ….
RUN!!!!!
CyrusTheVirus85
January 13, 2015 at 3:45 pm
Its 50/50 with Neeson’s newer stuff
Good:
Taken
Grey
Tombstones
Bad:
Taken 2
Non Stop
And probably a few others
Mucho Macho
January 14, 2015 at 11:49 am
Actually i kinda dug Unknown & Non Stop.
took ‘ em 4 what they were. B movies with a bigger budget.
Which brings me to the A Team.
Again..could have been better..
I took it for what it was..& enjoyed it. The unrated cut is better. Wasnt bored by it.
☆ btw..he plays a supporting part in this movie..its called “The Next 3 days” & it starts Russell Crowe..its a really good movie that no1 has seen..its pretty fuckin good
* The Grey is underrated