Movie · 2014 · Thriller, Action · 1h 49m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.4/10 (343.4K ratings)
It ends here
Overview
Ex-government operative Bryan Mills finds his life is shattered when he's falsely accused of a murder that hits close to home. As he's pursued by a savvy police inspector, Mills employs his particular set of skills to track the real killer and exact his unique brand of justice.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.4/10
IMDb: 6.0/10
Letterboxd: 2.34/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 13%
Metacritic: 26
TMDB: 6.3/10
Director
Olivier Megaton
Production
EuropaCorp, 20th Century Fox, M6 Films, TSG Entertainment, Meñakoz Films
Cast
Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace, Dougray Scott, Famke Janssen, Sam Spruell, Don Harvey, Dylan Bruno, Leland Orser, David Warshofsky, Jon Gries, Andrew Howard, Jonny Weston, Andrew Borba, Judi Beecher, Cedric Cirotteau, Catherine Dyer, Jimmy Palumbo, Robert Pralgo, Tony Williams
Where to watch
fuboTV
Curator Review
Verdict
A clunky, over-edited action thriller that squanders a strong lead on a thin mystery, implausible plotting, and exhausting chase sequences. It has a few watchable moments if you enjoy Liam Neeson’s stoic revenge mode, but the film is mostly a downgrade from its predecessors.
Best for
fans of disposable late-era action sequels
viewers who want a low-stakes, watch-it-for-the-star performance thriller
people amused by so-bad-it’s-funny action movie logic
Skip if
you want coherent plotting or a satisfying mystery
you’re sensitive to frantic editing and shaky action coverage
you expect the intensity or momentum of the first Taken
Overview
Taken 3 is the kind of sequel that mistakes motion for momentum. It gives Liam Neeson another grim, paternal crusade, but this time the setup is so contrived and the twists so obvious that the movie never earns its own urgency. The result is less a thriller than a series of excuses to keep the chase going.
Worth noting
The action is chopped to pieces, with so many cuts that even simple geography becomes hard to read. Forest Whitaker adds some presence, but the script keeps undercutting him with clumsy dialogue and plot mechanics that feel assembled rather than written. The movie wants the audience to feel the stakes; instead, it mostly inspires impatience.
Bottom line
There are a few moments where the sheer absurdity lands as accidental comedy, and Neeson remains a dependable screen presence even in a weak vehicle. But as a thriller, it’s sluggish, overworked, and far less satisfying than its premise suggests.
Top Letterboxd reviews
adambolt (1★) · 543 likes
yes Mr. Mills we acknowledge that you are innocent in the murder of your wife however there are still the five hundred and twenty seven crimes you committed during the investigation trying to prove this
DirkH (1★) · 485 likes
Tak 3 N
What does it all mean?
Did it take three takes to finish this?
Is it Klingon for: 'Hi, I'm Liam Neeson. Please put me out of my misery.'?
We'll never know as 'it ends here'.
Unless we'll get T4ken.
Which is about a guy named Ken. That drinks a lot of tea.
Sounds like an improvement.
Evan (1★) · 423 likes
After sitting though this whole thing; I really wish someone would have come and taken me so I didn't have to watch the whole thing.
matt lynch (1★) · 407 likes
Olivier Megaton doesn't even have a vague set of skills.
Jade talks too much🎅🏻🎄 (2★) · 235 likes
“It was the bagels. I had to ask myself what kind of guy goes out for warm bagels and commits murder”🥯🥯🥯
A real line from Tak3️⃣n. I almost admire Forest Whitaker for being able to say it with a serious face😐.
This was pretty awful. It was miserable & sluggish & the action is badly shot🎥. So many damn cuts😵💫. The only reason for 2 stars is that it’s occasionally so bad it’s funny🤷♀️. But not enough to make it fun.
1998 · Action, Drama, Thriller · 2h 12m · R · Curator 4.8/10 (392.3K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A polished conspiracy thriller about surveillance, pursuit, and a man trapped by forces larger than himself.