Review of Taken (2008) by Seraphina R — 20 Oct 2014

"I have a very particular set of skills".

One of those movies to watch over & over. I will NEVER get tired of watching Liam Neeson play Brian Mills, a badass dad who is on a unstoppable mission to find his daughter Kim, who gets kidnapped by a scummy Albanian gang specializing in women trafficking while traveling to Paris.

The beginning basically paints the picture of how this badass dad (get used to the use of that description a lot) cares for his daughter Kim, who currently lives with her mother, Brian's ex, and her new husband. Brian has recently moved closer to Kim and also gone into retirement from a job which the audience only knows involves government work with some sort of military background. Brian is trying to reconnect his relationship with Kim. His old buddies encourage him to come out for a night to help with security for a pop singer, further emphasizing that this dad isn't just ANY dad. He's a badass dad. Lol!

After this one night job, he is approached by Kim and his ex. Kim tells her dad that her friend Amanda invited her to Paris for the summer. She needs him to sign a paper allowing she go. Brian is not keen on the situation, and is concerned for Kim's safety.

After a big scene, he decides to let Kim go under certain conditions, she is to call when she lands and every night and let him know if she goes anywhere else.

But when Kim and Amanda arrive in Paris they are approached by a boy who convinces them to share a taxi to their place and invites them to a party before leaving. She forgets to call Brian. While settling into the place, Kim uses the bathroom and realizes her dad has been trying to call.

She calls back and confesses that Amanda's family isn't at the place in Paris. Then Kim witnesses Amanda being kidnapped/taken through the window she's peering out. Brian is visibly frustrated (as if he foresaw this coming like a badass) and converses with Kim. He explains to her that she will be taken. He busts out his super badass dad spy equipment to record the conversation and captures everything. He then tells a man that picks up the phone that he can give Kim back and Brian won't come after him, but if he doesn't, he has "a very particular set of skills" that he will use to hunt him down, find him, and kill him. The man dares him.

Brian tells his ex wife Kim was taken. Together they listen as an old buddy of Brian's analyze the recording of the kidnapping and identify the men as Albanian, part of a group specializing in women trafficking. Lately they have been kidnapping young girls traveling. There is only a 96 hour time frame before never finding the girl who has gone missing.

The rest of the movie highlights the journey of ex government badass dad (Brian) traveling to Europe to find Kim. He will stop at no costs and stampedes through Paris, tracking down the group and causing chaos in order to find Kim.

Will he find her, well that would be a huge spoiler, but you definitely will not be bored finding out. Great action movie, great acting from Liam, so sit down and enjoy this dad's "particular set of skills"!