Taken (Movie Review)

Movie Review
Taken
Starring: Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen
Directed by Pierre Morel
Runtime 1:30

There’s not much to say about Taken is that it is probably one of the most satisfying films in the last several years. Director Pierre Morel does a masterful job at creating a film that is not only entertaining to watch but also creates a sensation that the viewer made a good decision to watch the film. For an action film it’s lightning quick and for a suspense film you really don’t know the final outcome until the end. It delivers on all fronts.

Liam Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a retired CIA agent is trying to work his way back into his estranged daughter’s life. While she is on a trip to Europe, Mills’s daughter is kidnapped. Mills’s CIA instincts kick in and he flies to Europe in an attempt to rescue his daughter. He quickly finds out that the kidnappers are not in it for the ransom and that he has stepped into the territory of one of the largest and dangerous organized crime rings in the world. Mills must become a one-man wrecking crew to find his daughter before she disappears forever.

Since there isn’t much to complain about, let’s nitpick about some of the issues in the movie. While the action is well done and you constantly feel that Mills is risking his life during every moment of the movie, Mills barely gets a scratch on him. At some points he is being showered with bullets by multiple gunmen holding automatic weapons but most never even come close to hitting him. Contrast that with the fact the Mills seems to be either an expert marksman or someone who is concerned about conserving bullets because he has so many one-shot kills that it makes the whole thing unnatural. Luckily for the film, neither of these things detract from the suspenseful nature of the film and, at times, actually help it by fostering the idea that Mills can’t be invincible forever and the next bullet aimed for his head may be the one that actually connects.

For the most part, this film does everything well. The story is delivered with incredible timing; the action is constant enough to keep the viewer excited throughout the film but doesn’t saturate the film with action which helps keeps the story moving. Very few films have shown an ability to balance action and story perfectly. This film could be used as a template on how to create a non-senseless action movie that anyone can enjoy.

Another impressive thing about this movie is that even though the movie takes place centered around the European underworld, it doesn’t get complicated to the point where the viewer begins to lose track of the storyline. The Bourne series of movies is an example of how a movie that balances story and action well but complicates things too much where viewers begin to lose track. Taken is a comparable movie to the Bourne series (espionage, hidden agendas, and violence shown on a shaky camera) but it is much better film than any of those in the Bourne trilogy or even the trilogy as a whole.

A film should be judged on it’s on merit. Taken stands on it’s own. The story is great. The action is great. The acting is great. Mostly everything about this movie is great. Mills’s Superman-like abilities can be a bit frustrating at times and the doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it’s still one of the better action films to see the light of day in the last couple of years.

☆☆☆☆