Login
Taken is an invigorating, exciting, feverishly-paced action flick, and one of the most overlooked and underappreciated screen gems of 2008. It's thrilling, tightly-told, energetic, utterly relentless, and consummately entertaining. Adhering to the current trend of contemporary action movies (such as the Jason Bourne series), Taken is a film that employs gritty realism in its amazing action sequences. It also portrays a badass, greatly skilled protagonist distributing punishment to those who deserve it. This is unquestionably one of 2008's best action movies (alongside Rambo). It succeeds so admirably on account of its shameless stance as a pure actioner; ingeniously eschewing elaborate plot twists in favour of adrenaline-pumping action and fast-paced developments. It ensnares you in its (admittedly slender) plot following necessary character development...allowing little respite in its build-up to an incredible climax.
The plot is derived from the concept of human trafficking which has become a major issue in today's society. This issue is used as a foundation on which to construct a revenge-driven, fast-paced action thriller.
Bryan Mills (Neeson) is a former United States government operative. Now retired and separated from his estranged family, the desolate and emotionally sheepish divorced father is working towards a more solid relationship with daughter Kim (Grace) who now resides with her mother (Janssen) and rich step-father (Berkeley). Bryan has developed into a particularly overprotective father given that his career made him more vigilant, and he is hesitant when his daughter requests his permission to travel to Paris with a friend. Despite his initial scepticism, he eventually allows the trip to proceed. Soon following their arrival in Paris, Kim and her friend are kidnapped, and will most likely be sold into the slave trade. Bryan - who describes himself as "retired, not dead" - employs the skills he acquired in his former career as an assassin to rescue his daughter...leaving a shadow of carnage and corpses in his wake.
Taken is an action movie that effectively draws inspiration from Death Wish and Man on Fire, with traces of the Bourne series as well. For the most part, the film is largely clichéd and formulaic. It doesn't matter that the thin story is painfully predictable and occasionally unoriginal (Commando, anyone?), because - as with any action flick - it's all about the execution. Taken delivers hard-hitting, bone-crunching action sequences. Exhilarating car chases and shootouts are the notable highlights, which satisfyingly compensate for the lack of originality. In terms of violence, the film is unflinching. Bryan's victims regularly meet with terrifying ends. Pierre Morel's intuitive and astute direction is spot-on. The violence is never over-the-top, and the bloodshed never exudes any trace of exploitation. Bad guys are dispatched, and Bryan immediately advances to his next victim. The action is drenched in realism - they're filled with impressively choreographed close combat conflicts and first-rate stunts. These sequences are always kept electrifying and concise. Director Morel utilises the dreaded plague of quick cuts and rapid editing; however he's graceful enough to ensure an audience always knows what's happening. The thunderous, dynamic sound mix also effectively conveys the viciousness of each punch and the sharp crack of every gunshot.
Driving the film is a sublime screenplay penned by Luc Besson with his Transporter collaborator Robert Mark Kamen. Besson is perhaps best known for his 1994 film Léon (also known as The Professional). Revenge movies are tricky beasts to master without deteriorating into bullshit territory. There are numerous clichés pervading the film. Nevertheless, the screenwriting duo commendably manages to circumvent the more obvious clichés. For instance: characters aren't ever treated with any sentimentality, and when the central villains enter the picture there are no absurdly lengthy speeches or special deaths...Neeson instead just pulls the trigger or cleverly improvises with surrounding objects. Even better, the action begins once a story has been established. There's effective character development before the descent into violence and carnage initiates. For its first 20 minutes, Taken is almost a family drama. The script delves into Bryan's private life, providing the audience with an emotional attachment to the characters. Bryan is also an excellently unconventional anti-hero. During his investigation he comes across several additional drugged-up teenage prostitutes. Instead of playing big hero and rescuing them all in a stroke of nobility, he sticks to his personal mission. The film couldn't afford to get bogged down, and it never does.
For the most part, the acting is top notch. Liam Neeson has found his calling as an action hero. We've seen him in Star Wars and 2005's Batman Begins, but he quickly masters this particular character. The American accent is surprisingly believable as well. Even at 56, Neeson is an ass-kicking hero who can certainly dispatch his intended targets efficiently.
Famke Janssen is passable as Neeson's estranged wife, and Maggie Grace delivers a convincing performance as Neeson's kidnapped daughter. Her role called for depth, and the young actress pulls it off. The villains, though slightly stereotyped, are terrific as well. Even Holly Valance shows up in a supporting role, and she does a decent job.
It's worth noting that, while the film isn't a preachy social commentary, it capably spreads awareness of global happenings in relation to the human slave trade as young girls are sold into prostitution while the police let it happen. (In fact the film encouraged actress Famke Janssen to take action in the real battle against corruption. Janssen now serves as the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Office against Drugs and Crime.) With this realistic edge the story is far easier to believe.
Regardless of the negative reviews it was compelled to endure, Taken is a thrilling film - one of 2008's greatest action movies. Saturated with intense action, credible characters and a realistic story, this is simply an essential movie for the action lovers. Many have classified the film as The Bourne Retirement, and that's understandable. Neeson's aging action hero persona is equally as skilled as Matt Damon's Jason Bourne. Taken is a stimulating, breathtaking action movie that deserves to be seen. Granted, there are dumb bad guys and cheesy dialogue...but the action is highly satisfying. Face it; that's why you wanted to see the film in the first place. You seek pure entertainment with action aplenty, you want to see villains getting their comeuppance, you want to be rooting for the hero and you want to be cheering when something badass occurs. On that note, Taken delivers. It's a shameless, enjoyable pure actioner and a powerhouse, roller-coaster action flick of enlivening proportions.
8.0/10
