Liam Neeson is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood and a terrific actor. I was thrilled to get a chance to meet the legend to discuss his latest work. His action drama Taken 2 arrives in theaters on October 5.
Directed by Olivier Megaton, the sequel takes place in Istanbul. Retired CIA agent Bryan Mills finds himself finishing off an assignment while his family joins him for a getaway. His daughter Kim, played by Maggie Grace, and ex-wife Lenore, portrayed by Famke Janssen, soon fall prey to a revenge plot.
The villain Murad, played by Rade Serbedzija, seeks justice for the death of his son. Since the original film, Neeson has been incredibly busy with several box office hits. This year alone he appeared in The Grey, The Wrath of the Titans, Battleship, and The Dark Knight Rises.
ShowBizCafe: What do you think made Taken such a hit? What resonated with people about the film?
Liam Neeson: I think the film is a fantastic compact, little punchy European thriller. It opened reasonably well in France and it opened amazingly well in South Korea. After South Korea, I got a call from my nephews in Ireland and England saying they had already seen it through downloads.
I thought that was the end of the movie. Then Fox took it in January 2009 and did a brilliant PR job. We all belong to families and know how important they are. You will do anything for your kids, and that tapped into something in people.
In 2008 and 2009, the world was turned down financially. People felt vulnerable and nervous. They went to see a guy who is not going to call a figure of authority to help him. He is going to do something about it himself.
SBC: After making a movie like this one and Taken 2, are you a more cautious traveler, especially with your children?
LN: Absolutely the opposite. I have had many people tell me they made their children watch it because stuff can happen. I think that is the trouble with this country. Only a small percentage of Americans have passports.
Kids have to go out there and explore the world and different cultures. It pains me to say that to people who are complementing the film. You have to let your children explore the world.
SBC: What do you think about Taken 2? Most people think there is no need for a sequel. What was it like to get back into the Bryan Mills character and shoot in Istanbul?
LN: I agree, but I think Olivier didn’t set out to make a sequel. I think it stands on its own as a piece of entertainment without seeing the first one. It is a great way to start the movie with guys who want revenge.
It is cool to see Rade, a beautiful Croatian actor, as a grieving father. Getting back into character emotionally was no problem because we all shot the first one only five years ago. We became very close and it was easy to connect again.
Physically, we tried to do stuff that was not superhuman. I am 60 and I wanted to show a guy who gets tired when he runs. You have to see Istanbul. It was a beautiful place with streets as wide as a small room.
We had Mercedes Benz car chases up and down those streets. The merchants kept their shops open, so we had customers crossing the street all the time. They were not extras. There is no CGI, just the real deal.
SBC: Do you think the story is over? What are you working on next?
LN: I think so, unless Maggie takes over and calls me for advice. I am doing a Paul Haggis film coming out soon. It is a wonderful, romantic story. I have a couple of scenes with Olivia Wilde which is worrying me.
If you are looking for more action, you might also enjoy our Taken 3 review or read about the physical demands of roles in our Edge of Darkness coverage.
