Review of Taken 2 (2012) by Stevie M — 20 Sep 2014

The funerals of the Albanian mobsters killed by Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) in the prior film are held in Tropojë, Albania. Murad (Rade erbedija), the mob boss and father of Marko, whom Bryan had killed by electrocution, vows to capture Bryan, bring him to the graves, and avenge their loved ones.

Murad's men track down the corrupt French Intelligence officer from the first film, Jean-Claude Pitrel (Olivier Rabourdin), and torture him to try to learn Bryan's location. Afterwards, they end up bribing an official for the information.

Bryan's daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) and her mother Lenore (Famke Janssen), who is currently having marital problems, surprise Bryan by joining him in Istanbul, Turkey, where he has just finished a three-day security job.

The next day, Lenore and Bryan go out for lunch while Kim hangs out by the pool. Bryan realizes they are being followed. After a chase, the men capture Lenore, forcing Bryan to surrender, but before he does, he calls Kim and warns her to get to safety and wait for further instructions.

Kim goes on the run to get to her father's room. Upon removing her flip-flops, Kim ends up getting on the window ledge and entering the room through the window. Her would-be abductors shoot another hotel guest and two security guards, but fail to find her as she hides in the closet as instructed and they are forced to flee when the alarm is sounded.

Bryan wakes with his hands tied to a pole in a basement of an old house. Using a tiny phone that he had hidden in his sock, Bryan calls Kim, instructing her to go to the American Embassy and tell them what happened, but she begs for a chance to help him and Lenore.

Under Bryan's guidance, she opens his suitcase, containing weapons, and throws a grenade onto a deserted rooftop parking lot. By timing the sounds of the explosions, Bryan is able to successfully triangulate his location.