Movie Review: Taken

Although I missed seeing Taken when it was in theaters, I decided to rent it and see how it stood up to most action movies like Bourne and 007 since it's in the same genre.

The protagonist Brian Mills (played by Liam Neeson), is a divorced ex-CIA(?) agent who tries to become closer with his seventeen-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace). When Kim askes her father for permission to fly to Paris with her friend, Brian feels uneasy about the trip. As an ex-government agent, he knows of the dangers of allowing a young girl to travel out of the country. However, the pressure forced onto him by his ex-wife finally gets the best of him.

As Kim arrives in Paris, she is greeted by a stranger who kindly offers to split a taxi ride with the two girls. After the two are dropped off, the spotter sends in the information: Two girls, around seventeen, alone.

As the two get settled in at the apartment, Kim's father calls to ensure she landed safely. Before the conversation has ended, Kim sees three men break into the apartment and apprehend the other girl. Brian, knowing the outcome, tells his daughter: "You will be taken. I will come for you."

Taken is a fast paced, action thriller like no other. Brian, although the "good-guy" can be far from a hero at points. He ruthlessly kills enemies even as they beg for life. During one scene, *SPOILER ALERT* Brian finds the man who kidnapped his daughter only to find he has sold her. To get the information he requires, Brian bounds the man to a chair and impales two large nails into each of his legs. Oh no he's not done yet don't worry. He then attaches clamps to the nails which connect to an electrical circuit. When the guy doesn't tell him what he wants, well he get a nice dose of current running through his body. After finally getting the name of the buyer, Brian starts to leave. He stops and says to the man, "I told you I would find you...and I would kill you." As the man begs for his life, Brian flips the switch, leaving the current running through the tied up man, and leaves him to die.

Yeah pretty different for a good guy eh?

Taken doesn't let up the action until the credits start rolling. Brian will use any means necessary to get his daughter back from the human smugglers. As I watched this movie, I couldn't help but think to myself that most of the events portrayed actually occur. Men greet women under the age of 21 traveling alone and see where they are staying. They then kidnap them, get them addicted to drugs, and then either sell them to forced-labor camps or market them as prostitutes. Haha the movie kinda made me not want to go to Paris anytime soon =P

The only problem I have with the movie is that its short (no this doesn't mean make a short joke....Trevor...). It's only an hour and a half. I felt as if I was about to be immersed by the storyline but was cut short due to names scrolling across the screen saying "haha screw you the movie's over jerk"

Listen, it's no Bourne. It's not 007. But if you're in the mood for an awesome straight up action flick then go see Taken. My advice, it's a strong rent for sure.

4/5