Taken

• Genre : Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller...
  
• Running time : 93 min.
• Director : Pierre Morel
  
• Studio : Europa Corp.
  
• Writers : Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
  
• Cast : Mark Amyot, Arben Bajraktaraj, Radivoje Bukvic..
  

In a world of James Bonds, Jason Bournes, and Frank Martins, it's hard for a little random ex-spy named Brian Mills to get some love. On the surface, his film seems a little formulaic, and he seems a little...well...old. However, once we get into Mills's story, and see how infinitely badass the wonderful Liam Neeson plays him, you'll probably be saying something along the lines of "James who?". 'Taken', which follows Mills as he pursues those responsible for kidnapping his daughter, is a heart pounding thriller with a stupendous display of badassery from Liam Neeson. It may have a plot that's sort of unbelievable, but it's one of the best action thrillers in years.

Why do critics dislike this movie? Is it because they have no ability to see beyond the obviously far-fetched events of the movie? Is it because they take themselves too seriously and don't know how to have fun? It's probably both of those two reasons, but I find peace in thinking that they're complete idiots who don't know what they're talking about...sometimes. The fact remains that 'Taken' is plain fun, popcorn entertainment, that doesn't resort to cheap explosions in looking for thrills. It relies on the gritty closeups of the marvelous hand to hand combat and stylistic action (Liam Neeson's 'Batman Begins' training certainly paid off here).



The film is the brainchild of Luc Besson, the mind behind the Transporter films. Here, he relies on a director that may be inexperienced as a director, but one who also has more experience in shooting action on film than most. Pierre Morel, responsible for the photography in action films such as 'War', 'Unleashed', and of course, 'The Transporter', does a great job in choreographing some very good action sequences, especially giving them some flavor when they end. The film was not just pure action, which was good, as it also showed Neeson's character working as a spy and shows some intelligence in that aspect.

Director Pierre Morel has given us a solid winter movie experience with Taken (2009), an action/thriller with plenty of character. I went into this film expecting lots of action. I got that action, and more.

The opening frames of this film are, unquestionably, canned sentiment. This theme continues throughout the beginning of the movie, but it isn't the generic stuff. It's the satisfying, nostalgic kind, a sort of cinematic Chef Boyardee, if you will, and not the cold, straight-out-of-the-can collegiate sustenance, but the lovingly warmed kind your mother always made you.



Our hero, Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is the kind of guy a lot of us thirty-somethings can really identify with. He ekes out a retiree's life in a cheap apartment, to be close to his teenage daughter, a lovely young thing who lives with the ex-wife and her new, rich, husband. The relationship is strained, since the ex, Lenore (Famke Janssen) hardly approves of Bryan's way of life, even though he's given up the spy game.

So here's a man who gets emasculated at every turn, but willingly suffers it to build a relationship with daughter Kim (Maggie Grace). Her businessman stepfather, more present in his white collar than Bryan could ever be in his CIA issue, offers up an Arabian horse to compete with Bryan's karaoke machine.

But when young Kim is abducted by slave traders in Paris, Bryan earns his keep. As the tension builds, we see an agent-turned-father in his real element. It isn't long before his buddies in the trade get him enough info to start the hunt, and it's here that the pace really starts moving.

Speaking of Neeson, it appears that his days as the kind hearted mentor figure in films such as 'Narnia' and 'Star Wars' are behind him. His ruthless, badass, and perfectly natural performance makes the movie watchable and carries it from start to finish (which isn't too long, as the film clocks in at one hour and 45 minutes including previews). Neeson is a veteran, and it really shows. His performance goes deep, and will excite the viewer in all ways. Maggie Grace was also noteworthy as his daughter (it was tough to recognize her without her blonde hair!).



Before long, Bryan's in France, dealing out one erg after another of brutal justice as he tracks down his daughter. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not all chases and fights. Well, no, that's a lie. It is all chases and fights, but not only are they perfectly filmed, timed, and acted, but they do a terrific job of portraying the character. Now, Bryan Mills isn't your usual good guy. He's not your usual antihero either. Hell, he's not even your usual Jason Bourne. He's a father with years of combat and espionage experience, and he holds nothing back in retrieving his daughter. Every scumbag who gets in his way pays an unmerciful, but suitable, price. Beautiful, vicious martial arts, not entirely unrealistic gunfights, and a breakneck pace reveal a man willing to do anything for his daughter.

Any father should be able to enjoy the seeing the beastly side of parental urges played out so artfully. But there's more to it than that.

This is a movie that's also topical in a few ways. The slave trade is very much alive in the modern world, and could use some attention. In Taken, it gets that exposure. Furthermore, there are themes revolving around the broken family, the general disdain of Americans abroad and government corruption.

This is probably the best example I've seen in awhile of how stupid and self-righteous most film critics can be. They fault 'Taken' for having events occur that aren't entirely realistic. Do they recognize the film for being a great roller coaster ride that will leave most viewers happy (pretty much my entire theater of 150 people seemed happy)? No. It's further proof that Liam Neeson is one of the best leading men around, and that these critics really need to catch up with the times.



Taken prides itself on its seriously dark tone. The villains' atrocities are amplified by their detestable trade and we feel no sympathy when they get what's coming to them. Our hero is also rather ruthless, stopping at literally nothing to find his daughter. But this grimmer mood sets Taken apart from its predecessors, and provides an authenticity lacking from those flashier attempts at sinister action we've seen before. When your protagonist can electro-shock torture a thug for information, and the audience can applaud him for it, you know an intriguing character has been born.

It's a wonderful movie and worth watching it.

My Rating

Taken : 7.8/10