The Bourne Paternity

Rating: 9/10 (26 July 2009)

I'll bet Neeson's Bryan Mills character could beat the crap out of Jason Bourne. Talk about an over-protective father figure! Too bad most of the young ladies kidnapped for real in this world don't have a father like this guy.
With each film he makes, Liam Neeson is becoming more and more likable. In fact there has never been a part he's played that I wasn't totally comfortable with him being there. Except the time he played a Kansas sheriff in some Steve Martin movie... the name of it escapes me. It wasn't a great film. But Taken certainly is! It requires great and skillful movie-making to present us so many unbelievable elements, and still keep us begging for more. Neeson is a former CIA agent who has to fly to Paris on very short notice after his daughter and a friend are taken hostage moments after arriving on a vacation. He was against the trip from the start, but eventually he gave in to the pressure from bitchy ex-wife Famke Janssen. After all, her husband gave the girl some champion thoroughbred for her birthday, and all Neeson could afford was a tiny Karaoke machine! If he says no about this trip, his daughter may never speak to him again.
Neeson arrives in Paris and just about tears the city apart looking for his daughter and her kidnappers. Not only a world class ass kicker, this man is also very technically proficient and in no time has this coven of sleazy Albanian immigrants on the run. Since the daughter is a virgin, she is to be sold off to a wealthy sheik! It is estimated that Neeson has only 96 hours to find her! Can he do it?? As many people understand, the film is not at all plausible. And its makers must know this. So instead of many thought-provoking scenes, the film treats us to several fights, car chases, shootouts and whatever else keeps an action movie rolling. The film touches on the dreary practice of the sex trade, and even though the film is PG-13, we get a good sense of how disgusting that world is. Neeson is exceptional as always. A skillful boxer in his early days, now he uses martial arts and makes them look good. He, like Jason Bourne can knock just about anyone out with a couple quick and perfectly placed shots to the head or neck. This film was a huge box office hit, but unfortunately for Neeson, his wife passed away in a terrible skiing accident about the time it was in theaters. My condolences go out to him, and also my congratulations on making a wonderful action film. 9 of 10 stars.
The Hound.