Pause for kids 13 & under
Less violent, more sympathetic sequel delivers the thrills.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Taken 2 is the sequel to the 2009's hit thriller Taken, but it's less mean and vicious than the original, with more sympathetic characters and a more anti-revenge stance. Still, there are plenty of fights, chases, and shootouts, as well as torture scenes, though most of the really brutal stuff occurs off screen. A teen girl is shown making out with her boyfriend, with the boyfriend working at the buttons on her dress, but they're interrupted. Another kiss is shown, as well as the girl wearing a bikini. Language is very infrequent but includes about four uses of "s--t" (three of them during an intense chase scene).
- Families can talk about Taken 2's violence. How much is shown, and how much is kept off screen? How does that affect its impact? Is the movie still thrilling?
- Is revenge considered a wise and appropriate thing to do in this story, or is it frowned upon? How does that compare to the original movie?
- Talk about the ethical and moral lines that characters cross in the movie. Are Bryan's actions justified?