Taken on an exciting ride

Rating: 7/10 (23 July 2010)

It is what it is. A shoot-em-up action thriller. Story? What story? More shootings please. And throw in some big explosions too. You know what you're getting into with a movie of this genre. Movies such as these are never destined to be remembered as as any kind of classic cinema but if done right they can be thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable. And Taken is done right. Helped immeasurably by the strong performance of Liam Neeson in the starring role the movie is able to deliver exactly what it promised it would. Clocking in at just over 90 minutes it's a tight, well-paced thrill ride. You get plenty of great action and really that's all you're looking for out of a movie such as this.
Neeson plays recently retired CIA agent Bryan Mills who has settled in southern California to be close to his teenage daughter Kim who is now living with her mother and wealthy stepfather after her parents' divorce. The movie starts a little slowly as we set up the family dynamics but things pick up in a hurry. Bryan reluctantly agrees to allow Kim and a friend to go to Paris. Upon arriving in France it takes the girls approximately fifteen minutes (give or take) to get themselves kidnapped, destined to be sold into sex slavery. Luckily for Kim her daddy dearest has a very particular set of skills. Those skills will be put to the test as the clock starts ticking and Bryan faces a race against time to save his daughter.
And so Bryan arrives in Paris where he becomes a one man wrecking crew. The dead bodies start piling up. He really is making quite a mess. But nothing will stand in his way. As focused as a laser beam he will do whatever is necessary to bring his little girl home. As in all movies of this sort our hero is helped by the fact the bad guys are really stupid. And really, really bad shots. Apparently these guys haven't put in much time at the shooting range. At times it all does get a bit silly as our lone ranger dispatches villain after villain, extricating himself from any sticky situation with the greatest of ease. But you really only notice that if you stop and think about it. Don't think. Just watch and enjoy. Take the movie for what it is. It's exciting, it's entertaining. It is exactly what you would want a movie of this genre to be. Full credit to Neeson, upon whose shoulders the movie almost entirely rests. His performance is superb. He's a great hero who you identify with and root for all the way. It's a simple story, one man determined to save one girl. Neeson carries that story so well. If only all the other girls who were taken had a father like Bryan Mills.