Taken

Taken
Intense. Nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat-gripping intense. But that's not all that can be said for this film.

Bryan is a retired spy for the US Government who has moved to be closer to his 17 year old daughter, whose life he hasn't really been a part of. When his daughter, Kim, asked to go to France with her friend, Amanda, Bryan is reluctant, but eventually gives his permission. While they are waiting for a taxi after getting out from the airport, Kim and Amanda meet an attractive young man who offers to split the taxi fare with them, thereby acquiring the address of where they are staying. Not long later, while Kim is talking to Bryan on the phone, men enter the apartment and take Amanda. Then they come for Kim. Bryan gives her instructions and tells her he will come for her. She is taken by the men. One man picks up the phone and Bryan says, "I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you."

Bryan keeps his promises. He stops at nothing, and I mean nothing, to get his daughter back and kill anyone involved. He has no regard for any life but that of his daughter. This was probably the most disturbing part about the movie. He killed dozens of men, injured many more, and showed very little remorse for the other girls involved in the sex trafficking. And all of this he did without showing any emotion. However, Liam Neeson does an excellent job of portraying Bryan. I believed his performance. I believed his history as a spy.

The other turn off of this movie is there is an extreme amount of violence and bloodshed. If you are thinking of watching it, be aware of this. There is also profanity and a lot of talk about sex trafficking and drugging teenage girls.

Aside from what I mentioned above, I quite enjoyed this movie. It is action-packed almost to the very end. If you are looking for a film that will change your life, this is not it. But if you are looking for an exciting night, this would be an excellent choice.

Grade: B-