a666333 This movie starts off with a workable plot, maybe even a good one. Certainly it had possibilities. Thereafter, it retreats to a predictable mash of violent, adrenaline rushes with cliché dialogue (one liners, come backs, etc) that any movie watcher over the last 30 years must have had their fill of. Once the plot is set, you knew generally how it would pan out. It was just a question of which country the gangsters were from, exactly who their accomplices and enablers were, and how many brutal fight, car chase and shooting scenes there would be. And also, what kind of gadgets would be used. It is all worn-out formula. Liam Neeson does okay with the material such as it is, I guess, but you almost expected him to morph into Bronson, Van Damme or even Arnold. Yes, Neeson suggests a more complex, interesting character but it is only a suggestion. Everyone else is barely there. It is entirely a Neeson vehicle. And forget about seeing any interesting directing, camera work or art direction. If this type of thing is your cup of tea, enjoy but don't look for ANYTHING special.

sajnnm-97247 This is one of the movie I liked to see again and again. I liked the dialogue in which Lian Neeson said to kidnappers to find and kill them. This is the movie one never leave in between. So I suggest just enjoy it. I have seen all the series of movies taken 2 and 3 also. All are fantastic entertainment.

Leftbanker Yet another entry in the "Violence if Fun" series. The hilarious thing about modern cinema is that you can't kill a dog in a movie but you can murder 1,000 people and viewers won't bat an eye.This movie spawned a flood of even worse imitations so it's sort of like the new Die-hard. I can't believe how popular this is considering that it doesn't make much sense from start to finish. First of all, white slavery does exist but almost all of the women are from poor countries and are lured away by promises of jobs. Kidnapping a middle class America girl just wouldn't be a prudent venture for scumbags.Liam Neeson is a bit long in the tooth for this project, at least in my opinion. He's like 50 years old and he's constantly diving through windows or jumping off a five meter wall.Then there is the matter of how he manages to shoot and kill about 50 dudes yet he seems impervious to bullets. In one scene he jumps behind a sofa for cover. That's like a little kid hiding behind a curtain with his feet showing below. The hand-to-hand fight scenes were a mix of old kung fu movies and an 11 year old child's idea of how a fight goes down (or are those two the same thing?.

zkonedog While watching "Taken", the first thing that crossed my mind was: "Wow, this could be the story of fictional TV character Jack Bauer's retirement years!". Considering the success of 24, suffice it to say that I mean that as a compliment and thoroughly enjoyed this film.Basically, the plot of this film centers on Liam Neeson's character, who is estranged from his daughter (played by Maggie Grace) and really has no way back into her life anymore. Though tenuous about her decision to travel to Europe for a summer with a friend, he knows that not signing the consent form will only further drive a wedge between them, so he allows it. Of course, her and the friend are immediately targeted by European slave traders and kidnapped right out of their apartment, sending Neeson into action to try and get them back. The kicker, though, is that "Neeson", now retired, was once a government agent who worked for an agency not unlike that of "CTU" of "24" fame (at least that is how it is described). As a result, Neeson actually has a fair shot at tracking down his daughter's abductors for the remainder of the movie.What really separates this movie from other action fare, though, is the character development at the very beginning. Where other pure action films (Eagle Eye comes to mind) spend just a few precious minutes to develop the characters, the entire first 30 minutes (out of only 90 total) of "Taken" really fleshes out the father-daughter relationship. This makes you the viewer root even harder for Neeson cause when his daughter is taken.The acting is also very solid, albeit in a subdued fashion (at least from Neeson). Whereas Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer emotes wildly and often, Neeson's take on "government agent" is much more simmeringly intense. We understand how badly he wants his daughter back, but he doesn't have to pitch a fit to convince us. Also, Grace ("Shannon" of LOST fame) transitions from well from small to big screen, as her innocent portrayal of a young girl also helps the audience become emotionally involved with the film.Thus, while this film is not epic in any sense of the word (hence the four-star rating), it is still very entertaining in a straight-forward sort of way by doing all the things that a good film should: developing characters, creating emotional attachments, and having enough of a plot to keep the action moving forward. If you are a fan of the "thriller" genre, please check this movie out...it may not shoot straight to the top of your "favorite movies" list, but you will also likely not be disappointed, either.