Review of Taken (2008) by Clint S — 06 Apr 2016

Have a beer, or twelve, and you should be alright with this one. Unless... You're TAKEN.

I've said the word "cliche" during my lifetime. Never has a word been so fitting, and yet so unfitting at the same time. Taken has an undeniably ability to entertain. Liam Neeson plays a ex-government agent, now hyped bodyguard, who's daughter is kidnapped. He then proceeds to break many people, on his way to try and get his daughter back. I'm trying hard to hold back the laughter when talking about this. Let me break this down. For a film that is supposed to be an action-thriller, it is cluttered with quite decent humour. If they embraced how daft parts of this film are, I may have liked it more. You want a cerebral film? Don't watch this. You want a film with great dialogue? Don't watch this. You want a cliched action film? Well, here it is.

The only performance that I think I can muster a mention for here is that of Liam Neeson. I don't think I have ever seen such comedic prowess in any being. He puts on showcase his best Bale-era Batman vocal impression. I mean he has a lot to thank for the writing, but his delivery of these lines is exceptional. Delivery in that cliched, deadpan, yet over-the-top manner equals absolutely hilarity, and is very well-placed in a film about his daughter being kidnapped from across the planet. Oh wait... This film isn't a comedy? That's a shame. Every other cliched character is played as just that in this film. Everyone is so serious in this film, and it really is hard to not bust a gut whilst watching. Every performance is so right yet so wrong, in a film that is so right, yet so wrong. These performances are not good, but they are fitting.

I didn't expect such a film. It is great in its total blindness to how humorous it is. Roughly ninety minutes long, it never gets boring. It is a crime that such a script was ever written, but with such script I think they did the best they could have done. You are so taken out of this film by almost every element of it, that it somehow has you fully intrigued. It really is one of those "it's that bad, that it is good moments". There are absolutely no surprises in this film. You could map this film out with just the short premise. I cannot bring myself to think awful things of this film, because it did entertain me so very much.

To finalize, go into this one without expectations. Never has an action-thriller been so non-thrilling, and so funny. I, personally give this film plaudits for being something that I never thought it could be. If you somehow make the mistake of thinking that this film will be a smart, enthralling action-thriller. Run. Run as fast as you can away from this film. However, if you're expectation is to have a laugh, then this film will deliver on that front. If you are a little more impressed by mindless action, give it a watch too. It isn't actually that bad. Honestly. I think.