Take my daughter and i will hunt you down like a dog (Taken [2008] (DVD))

Member Name: blissman70

Product:	Taken [2008] (DVD)
Date:	24/10/09 (31 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Entertaining, thrilling and some rather good fight scenes

Disadvantages: Same as other 'thrillers', predictable and slow to start .

Director: Pierre Morel
Producer: Luc Besson
Writers: Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen.
Stars: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Arben Bajraktaraj and Leland Orser, And featuring Holly Valance

I had heard a lot about a certain gripping movie which was getting some good reviews so I had to go out and get it from a well known dvd rental place.
Anyway, the movie in question is the 2008 thriller called Taken, starring Liam Neeson, so last night I sat down with the wife to watch this 90 minute movie and see what all the fuss was about.

CAST...

Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills
Maggie Grace as Kim
Leland Orser as Sam
Jon Gries as Casey
Arben Bajraktaraj as Marko

** BRIEF PLOT...

Ex-military man Bryan Mills, (Neeson), is estranged from his wife Lenore, (Famke Janssen), but still likes to keep in close contact with his daughter Kim, (Maggie Grace).
But when Kim goes on holiday to Paris, France, with her friend Amanda, things take an horrific turn when they are abducted from their accommodation.
With Bryan hearing the full horror of the abduction during a phone call with Kim he is soon heading off to Paris, using his old contacts to locate his beloved daughter.
However, during his search he soon finds that he is up against more than a random kidnapping as he begins to uncover some horrific goings on in the heart of Paris.


** MY OPINION... if it counts...

The build up to this movie was fast and furious, "A movie not to be missed", people shouted, the daily Star claiming this to be "tense and terrific, the action movie of the year". Whilst the News of the World calling it "Gripping" "Neeson is Fantastic" (these quotes are on the casing)

But to be a little perfectly honest I thought the hype was more thrilling than the actual movie. For me this one seemed to drag its heels in the beginning, taking a good third of the movie for the story to fully open up, but then again, these type of movies are all generally the same with the snail speed build up.
After watching it I would have to say that it is like many other thrillers such as "Enemy of the State" or even "Under siege 2", there being nothing new or special about this one at all.


Sadly, for me, the end was pretty predictable, I guessed what the outcome would be even before the very few suspense scenes with Mills is coming close to finding his daughter, the only difference with this finale was the place it happened.
Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad plot and is well worth watching as it will entertain the majority of the audience.

The fight scenes are very well choreographed, one certain scene, with Holly Valance, surprised even me, even though I could see it coming, but it happens so fast if you blink you'll miss it. The other fight scenes are more realistic than some other movies, which is really important to me when I am watching a film as I can not stand those fight scenes that look as though the three stooges have choreographed them.
There is a cracking little scene where Neeson catches up with one man he is hunting, involving two large nails and the French Electricity grid, which, quite frankly, I found rather brilliant indeed.

The acting is pretty impressive, the majority of the movie following Neeson as the main man Bryan. His cool style and determination giving this movie a nice bit of character. The other cast members, including Valance, Bajraktaraj and Rabourdin are in and out of the movie and do a fine job when called on and without them this would be a one man show, (I am Legend sort of thing).

There are a few scenes which are quite, may I say, upsetting, but I can't say which scenes here as it would give the plot away a little. Just remember, what you see in some scenes toward the end of the move really does happen in some countries.

I really do think that if this was produced, directed and written by an American instead of French men I would have instantly accused this movie of having a real good dig at the French nation, involving bent policemen, sex trafficking and some rather aggressive Albanians, (As the story unfold you will understand why I thought this).
But as it is surrounded by great French film making artists then I can only assume that the French do have a weird sense of movie style after all, and when I say weird I do mean weird.

In all, in my opinion, a bit of a standard thriller which is worth watching at least once. It has some good fight scenes, one or two running scenes and the customary car chase scene.
If you want to get your hands on this one to buy, rather than renting on Blockbusters 5 for £10.00 for four night deal, then you can buy it for less than a fiver from amazon.co.uk, which is a good price for a Saturday night viewing I suppose.

This movie has been given an 18 certificate, basically for the violence and certain scenes throughout.

Special features on the DVD...

* Making of....
* Avant premier
* Six inside action, side by side comparison segments.

Summary: What any man would do to get his daughter back