Don't be taken about what's been said about Taken

Rating: 6/10 (11 January 2013)

"I will find you and I will kill you", CIA retiree, Liam Neeson says resolutely to one of his daughter's kidnappers. We know he'll follow through on his promise too. It's great to see Liam back on the screen in this tailor made role, kicking butt, but really folks, this is an overrated movie. Neeson's a character you don't want to mess with and these Albanion scum have messed with his daughter. He's been trained to kill, and this is basically what he's gonna do to everyone involved here, one an old friend of Neesons. His daughter and her friend are vacationing in Paris or France, I'm not sure. Within hours of their arrival, where the friend has already met her Romeo, the two girls are snatched and are sold into a sex slavery, Grace's friend not so lucky. So it's Liam to the rescue, trawling the streets for his loved one and pulling some deadly moves on his oppressors. The auctioning scene near the end, where the girls, drugged, virtually walking zombies, are shown singularly into a room, first cloaked with a brides's gown as such, before it's whipped off, is the most fascinating as it's unforgettable. The bidders sit above in booths, a female V.O outlining the girl's assets, before starting with figures. Apparently Grace is the best import, so she's the last girl to be auctioned, not unless Liam has something to say about it. He sure knows how to break up a party. Taken to me wasn't anything special. It needed more input into it's story, if it's characters too. At least it ends, happily for Grace, back in the loving arms of her father. Some nice stunt work near it's gripping final. Holly Valance has a small role, doing what she does best. She's Grace's character's idol, who first tells Grace to not waste her time.