As franchises expand, some get better as they go on, and some lose their effectiveness.

The better ones include the “Fast and Furious” and “Die Hard” franchises and some of the worst include the “Paranormal Activity” and “Friday the 13th” franchises. The “Taken” franchise is one that probably should have stopped after the first entry.

Over the last seven years, the “Taken” trilogy started as an impressive action thriller, and has progressed to two disappointing action-packed sequels. The newest, and supposedly final, entry into the trilogy is the most saddening of all. While the audience gets to see Liam Neeson in his most hard-hitting and vulnerable Brian Mills persona yet, it’s in an entry with a so-so plot, poor direction and major logic flaws.

Generally, when one goes to an action movie, they turn their mind off so as to not completely hate the film. But when one has to rewire their brain to enjoy it, then there’s too many problems with the movie.

Fortunately, the film isn’t riddled with plot holes, but it is packed full of factual errors and logical mistakes, which at times draws the mind away from the events happening.

Another problem with the film is some of the film’s major action sequences. For example, the first sequence in which the police chase Neeson’s character Mills thinking he killed his ex-wife has problems. It’s very choppily edited, with way too many cuts in a five-minute period and angles that make it tough to comprehend where he is and what’s happening.

What really redeems the film is its hand-to-hand combat and action sequences, and the performances in the movie.

Seeing Neeson perform his own fight scenes disarming villains of their guns and using them against the bad guys, sometimes while they’re still holding the gun. He continues to prove he is one of Hollywood’s toughest action stars at the age of 62.

The best performances in the film are Neeson and movie daughter Maggie Grace. Neeson shows true emotion and vulnerability in grieving over his dead ex-wife he still cared for, as well as protecting his daughter from bad guys.

Overall, “Taken 3” isn’t the finale fans of Neeson or “Taken” hoped for, but it does have some very good action sequences and good performances to satisfy action fans.