More Like James Bond Meets Death Wish

Rating: 10/10 (8 December 2009)

The more often I see this film, the better it gets (and it was terrific the first time I saw it!). The acting is first rate, with Liam Neeson perfectly cast and giving an outstanding performance as the ex-spy Dad on a rampage to rescue his kidnapped daughter from euro sex merchants. After the opening set-up, the action is non-stop and amply displays Neeson's training and an athletic skill that belies his late-fifties age. Written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, the dialog is crisp and compelling. All in all, a wonderful action film that has you pulling for the protagonist from beginning to end. Although many other reviewers cite the similarities to the Bourne franchise, they are probably too young to fully appreciate how closely the flow of the film parallels the Death Wish series, particularly in the efficient and dispassionate manner in which Neeson's character dispatches "the enemy" to meet their maker. Overall, a great movie you can watch again and again.