Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2013

The 2008 original was mildly intriguing because the Albanian sex-slave traders in Paris who snatch a suspiciously mature blonde teenager (Maggie Grace, now 29) are fatally unaware that her old man is a lethal CIA operative. The film was notable mainly for the participation of distinguished actor Liam Neeson in this kind of Luc Besson Eurothriller trash. Taken 2 the cleaners is what you’ll be if you shell out perfectly good yen to see this bigger, dumber, obligatory retread, which is essentially a non-stop car and/or foot chase, interrupted only for the occasional gunbattle or fist fight. (90 min)