"I will find you... and I will kill you".

Rating: 7/10 (21 December 2008)

With these words, ex-CIA agent Bryan Mills has exactly 96 hours to set out and look for his daughter's kidnappers in Paris before she is lost in the sex/slave trade. That's it. No subplots, no cheap thrills, nothing. Even the film's length shows the simplicity of that purpose. 94 minutes. But...
William Friedkin said it best when making the hunted; "today's action movies are too long (winded) and overblown." Sure, there are long action movies that are still enjoyable; all 4 "Die Hard"s, "True Lies", "Speed", "Face/Off", and then there are some which are dumb fun but somewhat incoherent altogether; the last two "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, "xXx" and most Michael Bay films show this. Not here. It's short, fast and definitely exciting.
A realistic knuckle-bound, no-holds-barred thriller, Taken has the ingredients that make a great action movie, added with some "zing" to make it better. That "zing" is Liam Neeson. His character, Mills is a flawed person. A lonely man with a dark past. His wife left him for another, seemingly better man, because he could not leave his job. His only daughter seems to be the only thing that shows his true human qualities. But take that life-saving angel of his and he will unleash a hell-storm upon those who took her. No, really. It's all about characterization. Neeson is transformed from concerned parent to angel of death within a flash. He would shoot, punch, kick, snap, kill anyone within his rescue path, and yet, possess some humane qualities that make him believable. It's great, because Neeson shows us that he can be an action hero that everybody can cheer on and be afraid of at the same time. I wonder what would Neeson's career would be now if he had taken that action hero path. Don't get me wrong, Neeson is still an exceptionally brilliant actor, but here he shows he can kick ass, hard, and still be up and out, thirsty for more. Mills give Jason Bourne, The Transporter, and 007 a run for their money.
Now the story (by action great Luc Besson and partner Robert Mark Kamen) is simple, but it is refreshingly written well and quite original. It's clear these guys did their research. The first 20 minutes is slow-paced, explaining in detail Neeson's characterization, as well as building up the tension and expectations. However by then the pace will skyrocket, and you will find yourself immersed in this speeding bullet of an actionier. Also it is straightforward and simple, but that's how I (and presumably most action fans) like our action movies nowadays. No confusing plot twists. No cheap thrills. No third person life-savers. And although there are some flaws, it's mostly because they're predictable and clichéd. But that only occurs very few times in the film. It's literally in-your-face action. The dialog is also well written, especially some lines (as exampled by the title comment) said by Neeson himself, in a cold and brutal manner. All I can say is the simple "child-gets-kidnapped" plot device is slightly reinvented and done with justice here, ala the "out-for-revenge" plot device used in "Man on Fire", another excellent action movie.
It's clear that almost everyone involved in the technical aspects of the film is French, and seeing that the film is mostly set in Paris, comes to no surprise. The direction by Pierre Morel is very lively and kinetic, increasing the pace as the film progresses until the climax. He shows a knack for directing action sequences - and there are plenty in this movie. Brutal fights, shootouts, car chases and hand-to-hand combat are put to well use here - in fact this may be THE hardest PG-13 action film ever made. Morel is a guy to look out for in the future. The scenery is photographed by fellow cinematographer Michel Abramowicz, who clearly knows his background as we see the lively and glamorous streets of Paris disguising the gritty urban atmosphere of the underworld. It's really neat and fits the mood of the film well. Accompanying these is slick editing by Frédéric Thoraval, and really neat music by Nathaniel Mechaly, whose score can compete with John Powell's score for the "Bourne" trilogy - fast and kinetic during action scenes, slow and reflective during dramatic scenes. Puts you in the mood. Closing off this expanded review, the supporting actors. Don't have nothing much to say as Neeson alone has your total attention. However some credit goes to Maggie Grace as the daughter, convincing us she's not exactly the typical damsel-in-distress.
Overall, "Taken" is not just solid, it's SUPER solid. It's excellent. Not only one of the best films of the year, it's also one of the best action movies ever made! A joyously refreshing film to watch, especially if you're an action fan, make this a must-see on your list. It's freaking brilliant and will linger in your mind for some time.
Entertainment value: 10/10
Overall: 9/10