Taken

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen

This film topped the box office last week in its opening weekend, bringing in $24.7 million. Luckily it made the dough its opening weekend because once word gets out on how ridiculously over the top this film is, it will be lucky to sell another ticket.

After watching the continuously played trailer about a bazillion times, I was actually very excited to check this thriller out. My only question was, “Why do they only show the same 60 seconds in every trailer?” I assumed it was because the “Taken” camp didn’t want to give away any of the plot line.

It turns out less was so much more in this case. If they had previewed anymore in the trailer, no one would have wanted to see it.

Bryan Mills is an ex-government spy with talents you wouldn’t believe (seriously). Because of his job he has been absent from his daughter Kim’s (Grace) life and is doing what he can to draw closer.

While on vacation with a friend in Paris, Bryan’s daughter is suddenly abducted by sex traffickers. Bryan is forced to use his skills to track down his daughter.

One thing is for sure, Liam Neeson can write this off on his taxes as a charity contribution. He is sleek and cool in what otherwise is a laugher. Evidently Bryan Mills is Chuck Norris and the Terminator all in one. Between his super-human reflexes and a series of unsettling scenes of gore, writers Luc Besson and Robert Mark Karmen combine once again for a bomb.

“Taken” runs 93 minutes and is rated PG-13 for some language, adult ideas, but mostly intense violence. If the film had been toned down from super outlandish to maybe mildly outlandish, it would be expectable. But at this point, I can’t take this one serious.

Grade: C-

Playing At: Cinemark Fayette Mall, Regal Hamburg Pavilion, Cinemark Movies 10 Woodhill, Lexington Movie Tavern

Opening Today

He’s Just Not That Into You

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore

Plot: A group of love seekers find themselves unknowingly interconnected as romantic havoc rains on them all.

The Buzz: This isn’t exactly based on, but inspired by the hit book by Greg Behrendt, most of you gals know from “Sex and the City” fame. Not only dose this film have more star power than the Milky Way, but Drew Barrymore herself is putting her chips on the table and producing this picture.

The Pink Panther 2 Starring: Steve Martin, Jean Reno

The Plot: Jacques Clouseau (Martin) heads a team of lumbering international detectives with the task of stopping a global artifact thief.

The Scoop: As most sequels do, PP2 has a new director at the wheel, Harald Zwart (“Agent Cody Banks”), who has dabbled in blubbering comedies. Even with a basic plot, Martin should do what he does best and speak in an exaggerated accent and fall through windows looking for laughs.

Push

Starring: Camilla Belle, Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans

The Plot: Three youngsters with extraordinary abilities find themselves in Hong Kong on the run from the U.S. government who want to harness their powers.

The Scoop: Sure superhero flicks are top market right now, but not everyone can pull them off like Stan Lee can. The superhero films draw such a big market because we love to see our favorite characters come to life on screen. We have no emotional attachment to these characters and that will probably hurt it.