Taken 3

Liam Neeson draws upon his "particular set of skills" for a third time here, as his retired operative Bryan Mills tears through the streets of LA to find the people who have framed him for murder. A twist on the formula (no one is "taken" this time) and the addition of Forest Whitaker as the cop on Mills's tail should have given things a fresh perspective, but in trying to avoid repetition this threequel contents itself with being a bland chase thriller. That said, the stunts remain spectacular, and there are enough hand-to-hand brawls to satisfy die-hard fans of the first two films. However, Neeson's "skills" become increasingly improbable, while the obvious plot twists and Sam Spruell's cartoonish Russian villain seem too outlandish even by the franchise's none-too-subtle standards. Different enough to avoid becoming ridiculous, but not original enough to be truly excite, Taken 3 may satisfy action fans but it's unlikely anybody will be begging for part four.