Short but fun revenge thriller. Neeson is awesome

Rating: 8/10 (31 July 2014)

Having your child taken away from you is one of, if not the most, horrific thing that could ever happen to a parent. We would dread to think how we would react were this tragedy ever to befall us. This is the situation Liam Neeson finds himself in, in Taken. Neeson plays an ex spy who begrudgingly allows his 17 year old daughter to travel to France with a friend. His fears are confirmed when he finds out she has been abducted but, rather than let the authorities handle it, Neeson takes matters into his own hands and pursues the captors to deliver his own brand of justice.
You would be forgiven for sneering at the idea of Neeson as an action hero but he excels in the role and is clearly having a lot of fun with it, despite the unsettling subject matter. Playing like a cross between James Bond and Jason Bourne, Neeson's take no prisoners style affords the viewer some immensely satisfying fistfights as he tears through the streets of Paris in search of his daughter.
Were it not for the disturbing subject matter involving human trafficking of underage girls, Taken could be described as a dumb, fun action blockbuster. But with the seedy undercurrent running throughout, it's hard to cheer too loudly, despite the fact that a great number of despicable human beings get their just desserts. The scene in which Neeson hears his daughter being abducted over the phone is incredibly tense and unsettling, but it does set up the viewer for the brutal retribution that follows.
There are some shortcomings, such as the failure to really explore the very real danger of human trafficking, and the end is wrapped up a little too neatly and abruptly. But these are minor quibbles which can be easily forgotten thanks to a great performance from Neeson and excellent fight choreography.
A fast paced action movie which deals with a very serious issue in a rather glib and unfocused manner. Nevertheless, there are some fantastic set pieces and Neeson does a great job of generating sympathy in the viewer. Not bad for a guy who tortures someone by sticking electrified metal shards in their thighs.