Coming from the same guy who made the ultra-hyperkinetic action flick District B13, it’s no surprise that Taken is a slick, fast and a downright enjoyable movie; but surprisingly, unlike the former, it isn’t a no-brainer show. It does belong to those movies that may require what is known as ‘suspension of disbelief’, but the execution is so damn engaging that I ended up quite liking the movie despite its oh-so-predictable skeleton of a father fighting against all odds to save his daughter from the bad guys – the murky world of flesh trade in this case. The packaging is very stylishly done and the action sequences are fabulous. And in Liam Neeson, as a former agent who hasn’t forgotten his exceptional trade skills, the so-called genre of mindless action movies gets a rare dose of intelligence and warmth. Taken might not be the best forum for portraying acting skills, but Neeson has infused a dose of believability and roundness in his character, thus taking the movie a notch higher than other such genre films. And boy o boy, did he kick some butt! Never ever piss off a movie dad, especially one who once worked for the 'Government'.
Director: Pierre Morel
Genre: Action/Thriller
Language: English
Country: France
