Taken (1 Viewer)

[UKReb]

This movie starring Liam Neeson was a sleeper hit here in Europe earlier this year-I never caught it on screen although a couple of my chums raved about it for weeks. It has just recently appeared here on DVD so last week-end I bought a Blu-ray copy and guess what? those guys were right this is a real mega killer of a movie.

I had read that some critics described it as just an updated Charlie Bronson revenge movie-not the case at all this is a kidnap thriller and probes any parents nightmare when one's daughter goes to Europe on her first vacation alone.

Neeson plays a retired black-ops/ex-agent of some kind whose daughter is kidnapped in Paris by some pretty nasty Eastern European dudes and she is frantically phoning her father as they burst in-Neeson hears the screams and knows the chief nasty has picked up the cell-phone great lines then from Neeson
"If you let my daughter go now that will be the end of it" he says to the faceless Albanian sex trafficker. "But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you. And I will kill you"

He knows he has 96 hours tops to rescue/save his girl before she disappears forever and you are immediately thrown in to an unrelenting, tense and thrilling hunt/chase with Neeson never being better as the hard-faced- even bordering on cruelty- father tracking down the villains.The film makes full use of the Bourne check-list-close ups-fast edits-simple but brutal violence and the body count is downright unhealthy-but if you like exciting thriller movies-you'll love this one.

The Blu-ray version rates an astonishing quadrophonic soundtrack that just adds to this thriller ride-Catch it if you can well recommended

Reb

 

[Spitfrnd]

This movie starring Liam Neeson was a sleeper hit here in Europe earlier this year-I never caught it on screen although a couple of my chums raved about it for weeks. It has just recently appeared here on DVD so last week-end I bought a Blu-ray copy and guess what? those guys were right this is a real mega killer of a movie.

I had read that some critics described it as just an updated Charlie Bronson revenge movie-not the case at all this is a kidnap thriller and probes any parents nightmare when one's daughter goes to Europe on her first vacation alone.

Neeson plays a retired black-ops/ex-agent of some kind whose daughter is kidnapped in Paris by some pretty nasty Eastern European dudes and she is frantically phoning her father as they burst in-Neeson hears the screams and knows the chief nasty has picked up the cell-phone great lines then from Neeson
"If you let my daughter go now that will be the end of it" he says to the faceless Albanian sex trafficker. "But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you. And I will kill you"

He knows he has 96 hours tops to rescue/save his girl before she disappears forever and you are immediately thrown in to an unrelenting, tense and thrilling hunt/chase with Neeson never being better as the hard-faced- even bordering on cruelty- father tracking down the villains.The film makes full use of the Bourne check-list-close ups-fast edits-simple but brutal violence and the body count is downright unhealthy-but if you like exciting thriller movies-you'll love this one.

The Blu-ray version rates an astonishing quadrophonic soundtrack that just adds to this thriller ride-Catch it if you can well recommended

Reb

Sounds great Bob; all but the Bourne action editing that is. I am going to watch it today or tomorrow.

 

[Ragnar]

I only hope there will be a part 2 well i think it made over 100mil at the US box office in the first few weeks.
This guy takes it to the bad guy's even worse then they dish out

 

[rossim1]

Got it yesterday, not sure when ill get to watch it though. To much hockey at the mo.

 

[1879fanatic]

This movie starring Liam Neeson was a sleeper hit here in Europe earlier this year-I never caught it on screen although a couple of my chums raved about it for weeks. It has just recently appeared here on DVD so last week-end I bought a Blu-ray copy and guess what? those guys were right this is a real mega killer of a movie.

I had read that some critics described it as just an updated Charlie Bronson revenge movie-not the case at all this is a kidnap thriller and probes any parents nightmare when one's daughter goes to Europe on her first vacation alone.

Neeson plays a retired black-ops/ex-agent of some kind whose daughter is kidnapped in Paris by some pretty nasty Eastern European dudes and she is frantically phoning her father as they burst in-Neeson hears the screams and knows the chief nasty has picked up the cell-phone great lines then from Neeson
"If you let my daughter go now that will be the end of it" he says to the faceless Albanian sex trafficker. "But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you. And I will kill you"

He knows he has 96 hours tops to rescue/save his girl before she disappears forever and you are immediately thrown in to an unrelenting, tense and thrilling hunt/chase with Neeson never being better as the hard-faced- even bordering on cruelty- father tracking down the villains.The film makes full use of the Bourne check-list-close ups-fast edits-simple but brutal violence and the body count is downright unhealthy-but if you like exciting thriller movies-you'll love this one.

The Blu-ray version rates an astonishing quadrophonic soundtrack that just adds to this thriller ride-Catch it if you can well recommended

Reb

Reb,
Many thanks for the review. Just tipped my scale. Bluray it is! Can't wait to see it.
Mike

 

[Njja]

I saw it last night. Liam was very good, he has a nice screen presence. In

my opinion he was no Jason Bourne. He did have many of the kill technics

down very well with a lot of well placed blows, but it was a little difficult to

believe none of the thousands of rounds shot at him ever reached their

mark!

Still it was full of action, and he certainly is a good actor.

I would also highly recommend the Bourne Trilogy. First the chase scenes

are excellent as is the photographic work. You may find yourself with lots of

bruises from the action. The combat is excellent and well staged by the

stuntmen. I found myself quite comfortable with what he accomplished even

though it was nearly impossible.

Got to love a good action movie!

 

[Mascleo]

I saw it last night. Liam was very good, he has a nice screen presence. In

my opinion he was no Jason Bourne. He did have many of the kill technics

down very well with a lot of well placed blows, but it was a little difficult to

believe none of the thousands of rounds shot at him ever reached their

mark!

Still it was full of action, and he certainly is a good actor.

I would also highly recommend the Bourne Trilogy. First the chase scenes

are excellent as is the photographic work. You may find yourself with lots of

bruises from the action. The combat is excellent and well staged by the

stuntmen. I found myself quite comfortable with what he accomplished even

though it was nearly impossible.

Got to love a good action movie!

John,

Agreed, great movie! Liam is a good actor, but he does not seem like a Special Ops guy.

There seems to be a lack of modern good action movies. Bourne was great, but was in 2002, 2004, and 2007. Even the last Indiana Jones and some of the James Bond films were not up to the previous standards. Wanted was fun, and almost eveything Quentin Tarantino does is fantastic, but are far in between.

Ken

 

[Njja]

Ken:

Its always time for a good action movie! Lets hope Hollywood is reading our

Forum! Its time to putt Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon back to work! That new

James Bond fellow also handles himself quite well. I still think about that first

action scene with him running through the construction site and up the crane!

Very Cool!

 

[Spitfrnd]

First off I would like to thank Bob for bring this movie up; it had been loosely on my radar buy your post raised it up to the top. That is good since it is indeed a mostly enjoyable action romp that is pretty near the top of recent movie fare, of course that says less about its merits than its company.

As several reviewers have said, if you like the trailer, you will like the movie. That is basically because the trailer represents virtually all of what you get; no room for whining about misleading trailers with this one. Of course what you get is about 65 minutes of pure, Adrenalin rushing, heart pumping, fighting, shooting, killing, maiming and torturing, with a few chases thrown in for good measure. Oh they are fun and generally believable and nearly always quite compelling. Make no mistake, the generous body count amassed by the "hero" contains no one who does not pretty much deserve it, apart for the occasional bystander and innocent family member who was in the wrong place or needed to make a point. It is true that the action scenes seem largely within the capabilities of the hero, despite his apparent invisible full body armor on occasion. Of course there is the annoyance (to me and seemingly many others) of the endless close-up, shaky cam quick cuts of the action. Maybe some day we will go back to filming fight scenes from the audience's perspective; now there's a novel concept.

It is an easy film to like, since the bad guys are such scum and Neeson dispatches them with such brutal and unrelenting efficiency. But therein lies the rub. It reminds me of that old commercial and later political slogan about "Where's the beef". Except in this case there is all beef and no bun (or vegetable or other chosen accompaniment). Neeson's character is clearly the brightest one in the room but the movie gives us few glimpses into how he gets to his brilliant conclusions. Its as if the director/writers didn't want to intrude on the action with petty things like plot development and true suspense. Once ole Liam gets rolling he is pretty much a mean, lean, killing machine. If this movie catches on, Hollywood can sure save a bundle on tape and budget by leaving out about a third to a half of event action movie. By the way, if you are pressed for time you can skip the first 20 minutes and last 10 minutes, which are intended to round out the action but are more an embarrassing illustration of the director/writer's dismissive attitude toward the need for any such distraction.

The biggest kidnapping message in this movie is ironically the wasted kidnapping of such a great cast. Neeson gets his moments but Berkely, Maggie Grace and Famke Jansen are largely ignored or given silly lines to deliver or moments to try and sell. So who's fault is this? I think the blame lies with the director/writers. It is no surprise that they are most know for the Transporter series, which I also must confess is a low priority guilty pleasure for me. Ironically, even those movies have more plot development and believable character interaction that this one.

So bottom line, I am glad I saw it and did enjoy the visceral pleasure of its justifiable vengeance. I am not likely to want to see it soon again and for the genre, I would rather see the Casino Royale, Bourne, The Limey or The Professional.

 

[lancer]

Great show! Neeson is just so single-minded and ruthless in saving his daughter that it was fun to watch without the intrusion of weakness and self doubt that most movie heroes have. The pace sure didn't give time for attention to wander or question plot lines. Just pure action and feel good justice. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

Al,

I need you to be focused! ^&grin

 

[lancer]

Al,

I need you to be focused! ^&grin

LOL. Moi? Focused? Surely you jest. -- Al

 

[Martin Tabony]

Great show! Neeson is just so single-minded and ruthless in saving his daughter that it was fun to watch without the intrusion of weakness and self doubt that most movie heroes have. The pace sure didn't give time for attention to wander or question plot lines. Just pure action and feel good justice. -- Al

I liked the fact that although he was profesional, he also took hits, he wasn't a superhero.

Martin

 

[Scott]

Taken was pretty good. Neeson can cross over into action hero roles and not look like a caricature of an action hero. I am about to watch the A TEAM on DVD, that one might be an exception.

 

[Wraith]

Taken was pretty good. Neeson can cross over into action hero roles and not look like a caricature of an action hero. I am about to watch the A TEAM on DVD, that one might be an exception.

I think you'll find it will be, I'm afraid.