Taken

Rating: 9/10 (30 May 2009)

When Albanians kidnap his daughter while she is with her friend in Paris, former agent, Bryan Mills(Liam Neeson) will hunt for them, find them, and kill them. Simple as that. The film follows his pursuit of every last scumbag involved with doping up his teenage daughter, preparing her for prostitution, even discovering that members of French police are involved(..including an agent he knew while in the field). Almost everyone involved in this network of trafficking female tourists, the Albanian lowlifes who kidnap and pimp the girls(..including those responsible for selling virgins, including Kim, to a wealthier clientèle), and anyone else connected with this despicable business, Bryan eliminates. He warned them and they wouldn't listen.
For a PG-13 film, this is very violent, with Neeson in incredible form, and absolutely convincing, as a specialist in combative techniques, trained to quickly upend the enemy. He mentions to his daughter when she asks of his profession, and Bryan says that the title was a "preventer", and his mission is to secure the package which is her. He doesn't prevent the carnage that is inflicted on those who made the unfortunate mistake of taking his daughter. TAKEN is a film obviously influenced, in regards to the cold-blooded and swift actions of the hero, as many films have been as of late, by the BOURNE series because director Pierre Morel shoots the fight scenes with quick cuts and the camera often moves at a frenzied pace..Bryan's moves are so fast, it almost takes your breath away because before his adversaries can engage in combat, their bodies are dropped to the floor, a sharp thrust to the throat or abdomen knocking them for a loop. The "race against time" aspect reminded me of William Friedkin's THE HUNTED because Bryan is always on the move, every action devoted to rescuing his daughter(..like Tommy Lee Jones seeking after killer Benicio Del Toro hardly stopping to relax as time was of the utmost importance), no dawdling is allowed. While Morel makes an effort to show little actual flesh damage from weapons fired(..more blood spray on walls), most of the violence is of a physical nature, Bryan pulvarising foes at an alarming speed. The plot set-up might burden the more action-hungry fans, but I appreciated the decision to develop the dynamics of the father-daughter relationship and how his strained feelings with ex-wife Lenore(Famke Janssen)have undermined Bryan's intentions to make up for lost time thanks to his overwhelming job in the field protecting the country. How Bryan succeeds in his mission is really a pleasure to behold, and Neeson's effective performance really adds a great deal to TAKEN. Discovering what happens to kidnapped girls, drugged for prostitution is horrifying, and you can sympathize with why Bryan is so dedicated to wiping out this whole disgusting operation. A certified crowd-pleaser, critics re-evaluated this action thriller after it become a big hit.