96 hours

Rating: 7/10 (26 September 2009)

A father's worst nightmare is what Bryan Mills, a former CIA agent, has to endure when his daughter, whom he reluctantly let go on a trip to Paris with her friend Amanda, is kidnapped right after she arrives in the city. The purpose of her being taken away is not for ransom money, it is because this girl is a young morsel for the degenerate crowd that deal in turning these naive women into prostitution and drugs for a profit.
"Taken", directed by Pierre Morel, is a thriller that comes from Luc Besson and his factory that churns this type of entertainment for fans of this genre. It is better to leave one's mind at the entrance of the cinema, or in another room if it is viewed on DVD, or another type of format, because most of the action is incredible, at best. We don't mean to say the film is unwatchable, for it is the kind of action film that keeps audiences riveted to the screen. But alas, when not even the first 30 minutes of screen time have elapsed, Bryan Mills has disposed of a dozen men, and he will get rid of many more scum bags before the flick is over! Why did the CIA did not insist in keeping Mills in its payroll is hard to imagine; he is a one man invincible team. In many aspects "Taken" is a comic book fantasy.
Liam Neeson, much leaner than he used to be, appears as the hero of the story. This man is so resourceful that he knows from early on because of his contacts who is behind the group that took his daughter away. He is an action man when threatened, in this case because the love for his only daughter. Mr. Neeson is the whole picture and he does not disappoint. Others in the cast include the wonderful Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, and other less unknown faces.
The editing by Frederic Thoraval needs to be mentioned because the way the action is arranged to create the immediacy and fast pacing that are necessary for a film of this genre. The cinematographer, Michel Abramowicz, does a good job capturing Paris, especially at night. Pierre Morel, whose second venture in directing this is, will go far if he chooses wisely for he can deliver a thriller like "Taken" almost effortlessly.