Movie Review: Taken

Words by Katherine C. Eustaquio

"I don't know you who you are. I don't know what you want. If you're looking for a ransom, I can tell you, I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills acquired over a very long career in the shadows, skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that will 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 Mills, a retired government operative, gave up his career to be near his daughter Kim, who is now living with her mother and her new husband. Byran was living a quiet life that is until the day a terrifying organization took his daughter.

Liam Neeson, star of Schindler's List (1993) and Kinsey (2004), delivers another remarkable performance in the action-packed suspense thriller Taken. Directed by Pierre Morel, Taken recounts Byran Mills’ 96-hour search and rescue mission for his daughter in the city of blinding lights.
Taken is a smart mix of wits, action, violence, humor, and suspense. It also offers a different take on the world’s most famous romantic destination. I recommend this movie to anyone who was disappointed with The International.

The Good: I've always loved spy movies—the continuous exchange of wits and street smarts, the gadgets, the fast cars, and even the compulsory black trench coats. That’s why Veronica Mars is my favorite bitch. Byran Mills is smart, deadly, and quite attractive for a 50-ish man.

The Bad: Bryan Mills is a god. Come on, he caused traffic on a freeway, explosion on a construction site, killed the first poser by accident, walked into the organization’s lair (with about 10 armed men in nice suits) on his own carrying only one gun and he left with a lone gunshot on his arm and a scratch on his abdomen. He made Clive Owen in The International look like a sissy.




The Verdict: I enjoyed the film just as much as my fellow movie bloggers did. It’s a great movie to catch after a day’s work, especially if you want to make a punching bag out of your computer monitor.
It’s strange. When we left the cinema, I have the weirdest craving to give anyone who gets in my way a mean karate chop. Hahaha. That is a “Taken Joke.”

Catch the movie to find out.