17 year old Kim (Maggie Grace), daughter to a government security preventer Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), goes on holiday to Paris with a Friend to a cousins house. With her Dad’s permission, he takes her to the airport and asks her to ring upon landing, ring each night and to let him know the address of where she is staying. Upon landing in France, she and her friend meet a french boy, they share a taxi as it is cheaper and invites them to a party. They inform him that they are own their own. They get kidnapped. The state starts looking for him after his destructive investigation. He will “pull down the eiffel tower” if needs be.
The kidnapping is done as if it is presented on a plate. After they get kidnapped, the pace of the film is fast, which is great it is 93 minutes long. While the action is initially good in the first half, the climax action is too video gamey, walking into a room and take everyone out style. It also becomes more of a hitman scenario as he kills on the way. At one point he gets into the “house” where the Albanians are, finds him self with Marko and manages to take them all out. Although cringeworthy, was done like a cheesey Bond.
The best bit was when Liam Neeson is in the crime scene and he reconstructs the kidnapping. It really hits home that she has been Taken. Being a fan of Liam Neeson (from Schindler’s list) I am disappointed but there were moments. Although the beginning is never engaging, you are meant to feel Liam Neeson as a boring Father.
IMDB Taken
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