Released: January 2009(USA)
Director: Pierre Morel
Run Time: 91 Minutes
Rated PG-13
Cast:
Liam Neeson: Bryan Mills
Maggie Grace: Kim Mills
Famke Janssen: Lenore
Leland Orser: Sam
Katie Cassidy: Amanda
Olivier Rabourdin: Jean-Claude
Xander Berkeley: Stuart
Arben Bajraktaraj: Marko
Dealing with the subject of human trafficking in movies can be very, very tricky. There’s a fine line between acknowledging and respecting the fact that such an atrocity is occurring in our world today, and making a mockery of the victims of that particular trade. A movie that’s centered around human trafficking can be an emotional and brutal journey. There have been a number of movies that have dealt with this particular subject such as Trade and Abduction of Eden. Those are some of the most recent ones and are fairly tough to watch. It’s even harder to construct an action movie around the subject, because as before, you want to be able to take the crime seriously enough so it can feel like it’s really happening and you can connect with the characters. There was a nifty little action-thriller released around the world back in 2007, but didn’t actually hit the United States until 2 years later. Taken stars Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, and Famke Janssen in one of the most intense action thrillers of the last decade.
Opening in Los Angeles, we see Bryan Mills buy a karaoke machine for his daughter, Kim’s birthday. When he arrives at his ex-wife’s house to deliver the gift, we also see that Lenore has married an entrepreneur named Stuart. Apparently there is some tension between Lenore and Bryan. Bryan used to be a government agent and spent a lot of Kim’s life away in other countries. A couple of days later, Kim asks her father if she could go to France with her friend, Amanda. Initially refusing, Bryan later consents and Kim is on her way. Shortly after they arrive in Paris, they take a cab with a young man to the apartment where they are going to stay. When Kim is in the bathroom talking to her father on the phone, she witnesses Amanda being abducted. Bryan tells her to hide and that she’s going to be taken. After Kim is kidnapped, Bryan makes his way to Lenore’s house to tell her what happened. After calling Bryan’s friend Sam, we find out that Kim has been kidnapped by an Albanian human trafficking ring, and that he has 96 hours to find her before she disappears forever. This is a very simple and straight-forward story about a father looking for his child. The moment Kim is kidnapped, the movie kicks into high gear and doesn’t stop. There is something to be said about a movie that goes from point A straight to point B and doesn’t deviate.
I gotta tell you, the frantic pace of this movie is absolutely nuts. It’s a race against the clock, so there really is a sense of urgency that you don’t normally find in thrillers. Bryan’s character is an expert in unarmed combat so the fight sequences with him are very close-quarters and absolutely brutal. He’s using martial arts, but it’s not like he’s using kung-fu or something flashy. No, this is a very efficient and devastating style that he’s using. He’s also an expert with guns and other forms of weaponry as well as interrogation tactics. He knows how to find people and get information. Liam Neeson is phenomenal. He’s such a great actor and the fact he’s doing a lot of his own stuff in Taken speaks volumes about the man’s dedication to his craft. The moment Bryan lands in Paris, he begins tearing the city apart looking for his daughter. A lot of the action sequences really stand out. One of the biggest scenes is in a construction yard, and not only does it feature Liam Neeson in hand-to-hand, but also one of the coolest car chases I’ve seen in a long time. For a movie that’s rated PG-13, it really pushes the envelope. Not only is the subject matter not particularly family-friendly, but the violence is brutal. When Mills takes out the bad guys, he is NOT gentle about it. In fact, one of the major scenes has Mills interrogating Marko, the ringleader. In the US theatrical release, Mills attaches two cables to the chair that Marko is tied to and is hooked up to an electric switch. The extended/international version has Mills drive two metal stakes through Marko’s legs, before attaching those cables.
There are a couple of issues that mar the experience. For one, Kim and Amanda are only in the film for maybe a few minutes, but even they come across as irritating. Kim strikes me as a spoiled brat, mostly because the character’s been raised in a very affluent household. Next, you would think that Lenore and Kim would listen to Bryan, mostly because he’s been around the world and knows how ugly it can be. The relationship between Bryan and Lenore is particularly antagonistic at the start. While Taken does give us an ugly glimpse into the world of human trafficking, it is just that: a glimpse. We hear about how the Albanians work, but we don’t actually see the process, and while that would be too graphic for a movie, it kind of sanitizes the subject for an action movie. I would have liked to have seen an R-rated action flick that really didn’t pull any punches when it comes to human trafficking.
Pierre Morel does a fantastic job directing the film. If there’s a shot that the cameramen aren’t willing to do, Morel will literally get behind the camera and make that shot. While some of the editing is a little hectic, it’s still pretty easy to follow, unlike the film’s sequels. Taken was Morel’s second big directing gig after the phenomenal District B13. The man knows his way around an action film, considering that he was also a cinematographer for films like The Transporter. It’s just a shame they couldn’t keep him for the sequel films. They would have been better for it. Liam Neeson is the real star of the show here. The man has incredible range as an actor. When I first saw him in a supporting role in Krull, he was very memorable. He’s definitely come a long way since then. He’s now an A-list actor that has a stunning filmography. Sure, he’s had his flops, but I think his successes speak for themselves. When it comes down to it, Taken is a very good, white-knuckle thriller that stands out from the rest, if only because of Neeson. It’s a very simple story that takes a predictable road, but boy is it a ride. I’m giving the film a solid 9/10. If you’ve read this post this far, then you know that I’ve reviewed the other two movies, so you should know how this one ends. The sequels to Taken don’t come close. Taken 2 rehashes what happened here, and the third film is essentially The Fugitive-Lite. They’re not terrible, but if you have to see just one, see the first one. It’s awesome.