Earlier this month, I expressed optimism with regards to Taken 2 and the further sequels that seemed, at the time, a distinct possibility. That was before the reviews started pouring in with the common theme being that this sequel was a monumental step down from the original.
Even the “fresh” review I saw appeared to hammer this same point home. Despite my hopes towards the contrary, it would look to be the misguided cash-grab everyone thought it was in the first place, and that it’s already outlived its short (and formulaic) lifespan.
Liam Neeson recognizes this too, having this to say to Empire when asked about whether he’d stay on for a potential continuation of the series with a Taken 3:
“I don’t see it. I don’t think it’s going to happen. I really don’t. I can’t see a possible scenario where audiences wouldn’t go, ‘Oh, come on…! She’s taken again?'”
Filmgoers have already begun asking that same question with Taken 2 and their queries are likely to become deafening and detrimental if the series is taken (pun intended) any further than it already has been.
If Taken 2 were able to at least come near the original, those same filmgoers might be swayed into being more forgiving and less questioning, but early signs would suggest that’s far from the case.
Taken 2 could still make money hand over fist, making a sequel more or less inevitable, but Neeson’s statements give me hope that he’d shoot it down if it were to come to that.
Though he signed on to Taken 2 so, as much as I love the man, he’s not exactly above trying to make a quick buck. I just hope that if a sequel does go into production at some later date, they at least have the common decency not to name it Tak3n. Se7en‘s title was enough to keep me from watching it for years, which I think tells you all you need to know about me when it comes to that particular naming practice.