Review of Taken (2004) by Sarah B — 30 Dec 2012
Produced and co-written by Luc Besson, and directed by Pierre Morel (District 13 (2004) and From Paris With Love (2010)), this is a hardass action picture which harks back to action films of the 1980's, but it's well made and it has a good strong lead, kicking ass and taking down baddies.
It's silly, cheesy fun and it's also tight, focuses and to the point. Former CIA operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) wants to be closer to his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace), who has just turned 17, but her mother Lenore (Famke Janssen) is scornful of this.
Kim is going off to Paris with her best friend Amanda (Famke Janssen), Bryan lets her, but he wants to make sure she's safe, and keeps tabs on her. In Paris, they meet Peter (Nicolas Giraud), who is friendly, a bit too friendly.
.. No sooner than Kim and Amanda are in Paris, they're kidnapped by Albanian's to be sold into prostitution. But not before Kim called Bryan to tell him what was happening, and he springs into action, and tries to find whoever is responsible.
It's very silly, but Neeson as Mills is clever and uses his wits and prowess to get the information he needs. The action is well staged too, around the streets and apartments of Paris, this is the kind of action film we need now, hard-ass and great fun.
This review of Taken (2004) was written by Sarah B on 30 Dec 2012.
Taken has generally received mixed reviews.
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