“I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.” —Bryan Mills
Today’s quick review: Taken. Years of work for the CIA have left Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) with a failed marriage to Lenore (Famke Janssen), a strained relationship with his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace), and a very particular set of skills. Now retired, Bryan is attempting to become the father he never was before. But when Kim is kidnapped while traveling in France, Bryan must use his CIA tradecraft to save her from a terrible fate.
Taken is an action thriller with a straightforward premise and unusual polish. Liam Neeson stars as Bryan Mills, an overprotective father whose worst fears are realized when his daughter is abducted by an unknown party. Taken follows Bryan as he uses every resource at his disposal to track down the men who took his daughter. Fast pacing, a simple and well-judged plot, and a strong lead make Taken a worthy addition into the action genre.
Taken is fueled by a blend of time pressure, uncertainty, and violence. Bryan faces the herculean task of finding and dismantling a kidnapping ring in a matter of hours, with only scant clues to go on. Seeing him track, fight, and interrogate his way to Kim is one of the main draws of the film. The formula also leads to a fast-paced and engaging plot—albeit a one-dimensional one—that throws plenty of obstacles in its hero’s way.
The other half of the equation is Liam Neeson himself. Neeson captures both sides of Bryan Mills with equal skill: the flawed but loving father, and the avenging and unrelenting warrior. Neeson’s performance lets the film take advantage of a few iconic lines and a decent amount of character work to punch above its weight. Neither Taken’s story nor its characters are groundbreaking, but they are enough to let the film’s strengths shine through.
The downside of Taken is that, at its core, it is just another action thriller. The same rough premise fits any number of other entries into the genre, with only its craftsmanship and particular combination of elements to set it apart. For many viewers, that will be enough. But those who dislike the formula the film uses will find little to fall back on, while fans of more fanciful action flicks will find it a shade too gritty.
Even with those caveats in mind, Taken is well worth a watch. At the very least it is a serviceable thriller with a few high points and high tension throughout. For those who like its particular flavor of action, it has the potential to be much more. For a more stylized movie with high-quality action, try John Wick. For another Liam Neeson thriller, try The Commuter or Non-Stop. For a bleaker action movie with a similar plot, try Skin Trade.
7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for an unusually crisp execution of the action thriller formula.