[text_block_nav title=”The Plot”]”Tooken” is a lackluster parody film from the guy who is famous for playing Anthony Michael Hall’s role on the TV version of “Weird Science”. Lee Tergesen is the lead and he’s famous for introducing HBO viewers to concept of prison sexuality on “Oz”. If you saw “Taken” or its awful sequels, then you’re familiar with what’s going on here. Aging while male brings in a new era of Dad Revenge against foreigners and other types that threaten his suburban existence. If that wasn’t enough, extra Liam Neeson cinema lifts are sprinkled in where the “Taken” spoofs fail.[/text_block_nav][text_block_nav title=”What Troy Thought”]Does a spoof work if the original series didn’t inspire devotion and attention outside of the original film? There were spoofs of “Friday the 13th” and “Chronicles of Narnia”, but fan reverence was already thin there. At times, “Tooken” could almost stand on its own as an awful parallel film to the original series. But, then you get things like the dog exchange program and the funny grandma. She plays video games, people!
Laughs will be had by the young, as a litany of celebrities that they don’t recognize parade across the screen. Akon shows up and I think kids still remember Akon. A few jokes land, but the vast majority of the material feels quaint and not that amazing. I have seen some of Asher’s earlier work and the jokes there worked because the actors sold the humor. Just staging something and giving the audience a moment to chuckle isn’t going to do it.
The film will be available for your viewing pleasure shortly after Memorial Day. I checked it out via Digital Screening, but there is a DVD scheduled for release in a few weeks. Check it out on your preferred format, but feel free to chime back in with your thoughts. The more and more modern comedy I watch, the further removed I feel from humor. Have I lost my sense of humor?
RELEASE DATE: 5/26/2015[/text_block_nav]
