More darkly thrilling than actually fun to watch

Rating: 8/10 (10 October 2012)

Liam Neeson stars (and kicks butt, even at his age) in this dark, gritty thriller with a troubled tone.
Brian Mills has worked for the government in the role of 'preventer': it was his job to prevent 'bad things' (we are left to assume assassinations, terrorism, etc) from happening. He is retired, and trying to build back a relationship with his 17-year-old daughter Kim, when she is Taken. But Brian has never lost his edge. Driven by love, protectiveness, and anger, he sets out to find her...and to destroy the men who took her.
I really liked Taken, but the wanton, cold-blooded killings made me suck in my breath every time. Our hero is strong, angry and determined, but he is no saint, and he isn't bound by any sort of code. He kills, tortures, and even shoots an innocent person to gain leverage. For me, this is the only drawback.
That being said, Taken was thrilling, exciting, and edge-of-your-seat. 8 out of 10. Enjoy!