TAKEN (B)
Wow Liam Neeson is the most dangerous man in the entire world! TAKEN is the film I viewed Friday afternoon, and it was a good one. The suspense started early and never left throughout the entire film. The film starts with a little background of our two main characters, father and daughter. Liam Neeson (Batman Begins) is ex-government operative Brian Mills trying to reconnect with his adolescent daughter Kim played by Maggie Grace. (LOST) While trying to gain his daughters favor he grants permission for her to spend some time with girlfriends in Paris. Our story unfolds from there...
Soon after Kim and her girlfriend land in Paris they are marked to be taken by gangsters looking to exploit young teenage females. Kim calls her dad to check in as she arrives in her living quarters, and sees from the bathroom her friend being abducted. The terror in the film at this point is paramount, and I was tense with a little fear myself. One of the most powerful moments of the entire film is as Kim lays under the bed hiding from the abductors talking to her father. He says, "Now is the hardest part Kimmie, they ARE going to take you." The suspense builds as one of the criminals picks up the phone, and taunts Brian wishing him good luck finding his daughter. This brings the premise of the film. Brian Mills uses his "particular" set of skills to take on a criminal organization and get his daughter back.
I would have to say this film would be very good to the casual movie goer. It was a good story and decently acted, minus Famke Janssen (X-Men) who played Kim's mother. Famke played a mother in peril with her daughter being kidnapped, and played the part wonderfully. The strength of the script was the fear it brings viewers, as well as suspense throughout the entire film. The scripts weakness was its lack of depth. No character development, no sub plots, and not the best of endings. But like I said, this film is great for the casual viewer. Who needs all that character development BS...
Liam Neeson acted his part very well, and presented a character I would not want to EFF with. I can't even begin to count how many corrupt people he absolutely embarrasses in the action sequences. Brian Mills doesn't waste time playing with his prey, he just destroys them. The film has fast action sequences that keep up with the pace of the film. Once our character Brian Mills gets a sniff of the criminals its a whirlwind of action that leads us to in my opinion a disappointing ending. To tell the truth, I don't really know how the ending could have been better or different. Unfortunately when the film concluded I was not satisfied with the abrupt end. I would say see this film, because my list of complaints for Taken is short.
