Taken Your Money.

Rating: 3/10 (15 May 2015)

Taken (2008): Dir: Pierre Morel / Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Katie Cassidy, Xander Berkeley: Standard revenge thriller regarding both the kidnapped daughter as well as the faceless villains that her spy father will "take" down. Starts out well with retired spy Liam Neeson discovering that her Paris bound daughter has been kidnapped and he sets out to find her. Formula storytelling with mindless violence in toll. Directed by Pierre Morel with fine location work but that doesn't save this umpteenth Death Wish wannabe. Neeson holds his own as a father relying on his skill to find his daughter but it is his confidence in his ability that allow him to propel forward. Supporting cast is flat and might as well stayed home for all the good they are doing here. Maggie Grace plays his daughter who gets to sit around and await her father to kick ass and rescue her. Famke Janssen plays whining ex-wife whose thigh crushing villain in Goldeneye would have came in awfully handy here. Katie Cassidy plays daughter's brain dead friend who is about as useless as a person can get without being considered mentally unstable. Xander Berkeley also makes his presence known before realizing that this film is overrated and a career move for Neeson only. If anyone wishes to sit through a re-run of action clichés then this is your movie. This is basically a lackluster revenge tale where the audience gets taken. Score: 3 ½ / 10