Taken Genre: Action, Thriller
Duration: 1 hr. 33 min.
Starring: Famke Janssen, Katie Cassidy, Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Goran Kostic,
Director: Pierre Morel
Producer: India Osborne, Luc Besson, Pierre-Ange Le Pogam
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: January 30, 2009
Writer: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Liam Nesson stars in this action-packed international thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. When his estranged daughter is kidnapped in Paris, a former spy (Neeson) sets out to find her at any cost. Relying on his special skills, he tracks down the ruthless gang that abducted her and launches a one-man war to bring them to justice and rescue his daughter.
Calling all "Transporter" fans: Here's a fast-paced
"Transporter" sibling starring Liam Neeson!
The screenplay, written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, feels
like a "Transporter" movie because Besson is the guy behind
those PG-13-rated actioners. Now he's written another fun, loopy
actioner that doesn't have to stoop to exploitive violence to keep
you on the end of your seat.
Bryan Mills (Neeson) is a retired government agent who does some
part-time work as a security guard. After a concert, he saves the
life of a young pop star (Holly Valance).
Bryan has given up everything to live near his daughter Kim
(Maggie Grace). He's always upstaged by her stepfather and her
mother, who has not forgiven Bryan for his absences during much of
Kim's life.
Now Kim suggests she and Bryan have lunch. His hopes of bonding
with his daughter are shattered when his ex-wife (Famke Janssen)
appears too. Kim wants her dad to sign a permission slip that will
let her travel to Paris with her friend. At first, Bryan, who knows
what a dangerous place the world can be for two teenagers traveling
alone, refuses to sign.
But he finally relents, under the circumstances that Kim call him
every day and that he is the one to take her and her friend to the
airport.
Kim and her friend arrive safely in Paris, but Kim discovers that
all is not what was promised. The two are staying alone in an
apartment. Immediately they are approached by a nice-looking,
friendly sort who suggests they share a cab.
Their lives are in danger from that moment on. And once Bryan
recognizes what has happened to his daughter, he is bound for Europe
to find her and to slay the men who have her in custody.
Neeson does a great job of portraying the anguished, somewhat
estranged father who never has stopped loving his daughter or wanting
to look after her. There are so few action heroes these day, and it's
nice to see Neeson, always cast in the role of a "serious"
actor, have fun with a character in a different kind of role.
This is one of those movies that should take you along for the
ride a ride and not a thinkfest %u2013 don't over-analyze, just let
it take you away.
