The Best Film Of 2008

Rating: 10/10 (14 January 2011)

An excellent film that exposes the kidnapping and trafficking of women. This film also raises the question why nothing is being done about this. Obviously high ranking officials in the Government are also involved in this which is the reason why it is still going on.
There are such SCUM in the world that would sell their own sisters or daughters into prostitution.
Back to the film. It was good to see Liam Neeson after a long time. Having seen his best films: Darkman and Rob Roy, I was in eager expectations.
The film is relentless from start to finish with superb action sequences and strong to-the-point dialogue.
Full Plot: Highly-skilled CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) has retired in an effort to build a closer relationship with his teenage daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). His frequent absences made him a distant father and led to his divorce. Knowing Kim wants to be a singer, Bryan buys her an expensive karaoke machine for her 17th birthday, but he is upstaged by Kim's wealthy stepfather Stuart (Xander Berkeley), who surprises her with a horse.
Later, Bryan's former colleague, Sam (Leland Orser), hires him to help provide concert security for a popular young singer, Sheerah (Holly Valance). When Bryan saves her from a knife-wielding attacker, Sheerah gratefully offers to help with Kim's musical aspirations.
Bryan's ex-wife, Lenore, (Famke Janssen) and Kim persuade a reluctant Bryan into allowing Kim to travel to Paris with her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy) to visit museums. Bryan is angered to discover at the airport that the girls actually intend to follow a U2 concert tour throughout Europe, instead of it being a study abroad program like he was originally told.
In Paris, Kim and Amanda meet Peter (Nicolas Giraud), a charming young stranger who suggests sharing a taxi from the airport. Peter learns that they are staying alone in Amanda's cousins' apartment. After they part, Peter phones someone and passes along what he has learned.
While on the phone with Bryan, Kim sees men enter the apartment and abduct Amanda. Bryan starts recording the call, and instructs Kim to shout out information about the kidnappers when they come for her. Afterward, Bryan realizes that someone is listening on the phone and tells him that if they let his daughter go, he will drop the matter, but if not, "I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you." The listener replies, "Good luck."
Bryan has Sam analyze the recording; he determines that the abductors are likely part of the Albanian Mafia, which specializes in sex slavery. He tells Bryan and Lenore of a grim statistic: if Kim is not rescued within 96 hours, chances are she will never be found.
When Bryan reaches Paris, he finds his first clue: a photograph of Peter on the memory card of Kim's cellphone. He finds Peter as he is after another victim at the airport. After a short chase, Peter is struck and killed by a truck. Bryan then turns to an old friend, Jean-Claude (Olivier Rabourdin), previously a field agent of French Intelligence, but now working behind a desk.
Eventually, the trail leads to a construction site with a makeshift brothel. Posing as a customer, Bryan notices a semi-conscious prostitute who has his daughter's jacket. He rescues her, killing several gangsters in the process. The girl tells Bryan the address of the house where she met Kim. Bryan bluffs his way in, pretending to be a corrupt policeman looking for a bribe. He identifies Marko Ocha as the one he spoke to on the phone, takes him prisoner and kills the other crooks. Searching the house, he finds Amanda dead, apparently from a heroin overdose.
Bryan tortures Marko into revealing that, because Kim is a highly valuable virgin, she was sold to Patrice Saint-Clair (Gérard Watkins). He leaves Marko to die slowly from unending electric shocks. Needing more information, Bryan goes to Jean-Claude's home. Jean-Claude admits to accepting bribes to look the other way and tries to force Bryan at gunpoint to give up his search. Bryan shoots Jean-Claude's wife in the arm to pressure him into giving up Saint-Clair's address.
Bryan impersonates a police commissioner to enter an exclusive party at Saint-Clair's mansion. He locates a secret underground facility where a sex-slave auction is underway. Kim is the last offering. Bryan forces a buyer to purchase her, but he is knocked unconscious before he can get to her. He awakens handcuffed to a pipe. After learning Bryan's motive, Saint-Clair orders him killed and leaves. Bryan frees himself, kills Saint-Clair's henchmen, and forces Saint-Clair to divulge Kim's whereabouts before executing him.
Bryan sees Kim being forced onto a yacht. Bryan jumps aboard and dispatches the guards. He finds an Arab sheikh holding a knife to Kim's neck. The man starts threatening Kim's life, but before he could finish his sentence, Bryan shoots him in the head.
After they return to the United States, Bryan surprises Kim with a visit to Sheerah for an audition.
Verdict: an outstanding film overall reminiscent of Commando(1985) and Diehard(1988) in terms of action. A good purchase for your DVD collection.