Taken 2 should have been the reverse story - 1 was about him saving his daughter despite his wife divorcing him; taken 2 could have been about HER taking steps to recover the man she loved, after he left her subsequent to their divorce!

Nanobanana did a good job here, with some issues.

Here's the plot outline:

In this one, it's all about a FEMALE LEAD. His EXWIFE learns that to keep a good man like him, she's gotta stop mocking and disrespecting him and instead treasure and care for her husband. Liam Neeson has moved to Thailand and thinks he's fallen in love with a woman there, very hot but actually just not that good, superficially addicting him but not caring about him really nor willing to sacrifice for him. She's not evil, nor a terrorist, but just doesn't KNOW him well and doesn't plan to have any future long-term growth with him. Liam and his EXWIFE were divorced when she constantly disrespected his need to train and prepare for his job, which was to protect people and especially HER. He was bitter about it and now has run away and is swearing never to come back. She even mocked his scars once - the scars he'd gotten in one of his many life-risky feats of care based on his VIRTUE to sacrifice himself for GOOD and to protect people who deserved it, as part of his life of public HONOR and diligence. Despite the corruption of the world, which he also fought against in TAKEN 1; the point is, he followed a value system through a stage of "following the rules" and then also through a stage where he needed to take action outside the rules; yet he isn't setting himself up as a new lord, above the law.

Her daughter, in safe American TEXAS (Never going overseas again, she has no passport) after nearly getting taken away in Taken 1, studying marine biology, still loves her father and all this time has resisted EXWIFE's attempts to slander him and gang up — two of the women he loves — against him, shutting him out and leaving him all alone and aimless in life despite his amazing AIM (get it?). There are bits of comedy. But NOT much, please, and never of the "oh dumb dad, what a loser".

But at this moment, far from him, and hearing about his new love, potential for new family, she feels something - EXWIFE has a spiritual awakening; despite her friends telling her "have fun now he's out of your life" and inviting her to drink, gossip, and also despite her yoga teacher telling her it's all about her now, and her fat friend complaining about "the male gaze," she thinks back to when she and her young daughter and Liam were together in love and realizes THAT is what was the best. He in his anger also thinks of trying one more time to her; but the seduction (rational) of a young health at least seemingly-fertile women distracts him; yet he also hasn't REALLY given up on his EXWIFE either. But EXWIFE realizes she might not have time. Despite her mental blocks to really GETTING why he did what he did, she honors the love and respect which her EXHUSBAND is held by the world, and she also wisely listens to her own daughter; that little baby yet can teach her something; she needs to grow up and consider her daughter, who deeply loves her own FATHER the EXHUSBAND and always takes a POSITIVE view of his actions. He really did try his best; he did what he had to do through bleeding, fear, risk, danger, possibilities of losing everything and even of being seen by the world as a criminal. He also risked actual death. And it wasn't just his passion - it was in intelligence, his reliability, his preparation, ability to handle problems. EXWIFE finally LISTENS to her daughter silently and then tells her I'm sorry I took so long to understand your father's way of loving. And she leaves to go think. And from there we are off. Yet it's not so easy. She has a long mission, a long way to go, to transform herself and reclaim her relationship. This is NOT going to be easy.

EXWIFE realizes she screwed up. She's gotta go through the heroine's journey — accept she is not NOW beautiful but can BECOME beautiful. She gets on GLP-1s, starts doing yoga hardcore, hiking, pickleball, learns music, learns grace, softens her rough voice, learns to cook rather than always begging Liam to do it and then criticizing him, learns humility, lets herself cry reviewing all the things Liam did for them, taking photos of them two together, setting up good memories. She works and works to ensnare him. She even finds herself in a pickleball tournament with EXHUSBANDs former colleagues - and she learns a bit, open-eyed observing the way men relate, the way they show care and prepare to help each other - extreme situational awareness. She's been living in a fog while around her, EXHUSBAND all along had been watching out for dangers, putting his arm out for her before she even notices the danger; and she'd often scoffed at this, or taken it as an ego attack. Yet his colleagues welcome her suggestions to them, right or wrong; why blame people who try to help.

Then, the women's battle. She just happens to see him at a conference and he is cringing but says hi, ready for more attacks from her, but is surprised how gentle and graceful she is, how kind and caring. He is shell-shocked. His new honey tries to make him forget but he can't. Time over time he never lies to either; he simply listens to his heart and sees the change in her.

The goal of EXWIFE (movie is from her POV) is soon getting slightly closer, step by step. She's working to get him back and more than that, to transcend her pettiness and become a real human, filling the role she chooses, but also insisting she can be how she wants, confronting everyone who'd stop her in either direction. And she was always this way; and even in the darkness before she realized this, she WOULD often do things well, help people - but in that blind state she'd often fail, too. But now she gains SITUATIONAL AWARENESS; just as EXHUSBAND had to learn skills such as persuasion, discussion, sincerity, extending trust provisionally rather than prejudging, which went AGAINST his tendency (violence), SHE also must do this. It's the job of all beings when the first stage of their life is over; to explore more widely through ways to be and test, adopt, or just find a way to do the things which one isn't naturally adapted to.

This is NOT about "not being dependent." That's the message of the VILLAIN of the movie. The HEROINE (to be) is EXWIFE, who learns to ACCEPT that she is NOT happy alone and that she LIKES and even NEEDS Liam Neeson. Her prior constantly expressing "I'm good enough, I'm perfect, I don't need anybody" is the OPPOSITE of the theme of the movie.

It's about someone who SEEMS strong at FIRST (alone, ugly, sad) but then needs to GET OVER "pretending to be strong." Rejecting the ARROGANT parts of herself and rejecting her awful friends (except one true honest loving one) to ACCEPT AGAIN Liam Neeson — who is ALSO not perfect.

He reveals his real name is "Liam NEEDSON," meaning "HE NEEDS A SON," and the movie's climax is that she is PREGNANT with a SON. Liam in Taken 3 will be a DAD again to a young BOY, and his mother swears she will live during pregnancy FOR THE CHILD, not FOR HERSELF — taking good care of her mood, her body, her health, enjoying life. Just as LIAM sacrifices his life and time and power to do his JOB and protect her and their daughter, she will ALSO sacrifice her BODY and her TIME (also VOLUNTARILY) — mutual sacrifice for love and family. She shall NEVER do this "I'm a powerful woman" act again unless she needs to for the family. They both realize that they've been given so much, and it's now time to GIVE BACK to the next generation. And whether or not the child ever knows it, mere existence as a VIRTUOUS PERSON and a good couple is inherently good. Even if the fire is coming in a few years, or decades - we never know. But still build your house well.

CODA

Had some fun with this. it's vital to remember that this really is a mutual deal. Both of them need to be free of worry that they'll be betrayed; and they need to be able to calmly handle outsiders, mockers, criticizers who might try to leverage them in outside battles.

This movie image isn't bad, but I don't think it emphasizes that he also has a very serious duty to forgive, to self-correct, to carefully think through his choices, and not to be superior. They both risk their bodies, their time, their power, and their lives. Good luck to the happy couple and to the new life!

Yes it's definitely dangerous to lean too much towards the movie as critiquing her. But it's really about her overcoming her internal weaknesses and letting her best self win. And just getting past (rather than "resolving") everything that happened before, so they can do real things in the world and be happy.