TAKEN

"I have skills..."

Retiring from the military to be closer to his daughter Kim (Grace), Bryan (Neeson) is finding it hard to reconnect after missing most of her childhood. When his ex-wife Lenore (Janssen) brings Kim to see him so he can give her permission to go to Paris for the summer with her friend Amanda (Cassidy), Bryan reluctantly agrees with the condition that she keep in touch with him. After she arrives in Paris however, Bryan finally manages to get Kim on the phone only for her to tell him that some men have come into the apartment they are staying in and taken Amanda and they are coming for her.

When it comes to making action films, writer/producer Luc Besson is showing that French directors can be some of the best in the business but can 'Taken' keep up this trend?

As well as an accomplished director in his own right, Luc Besson is also an established producer and writer of some of the best action movies coming out of Europe over the last ten years. With his like 'Taxi', 'The Transporter', 'Unleashed', 'District 13' and 'Kiss of the Dragon', he has mixed the Hollywood action style, injected some Asian martial arts and then added some French flair. His latest outing, 'Taken' is another fine example.

The premise is simple, as with most Besson produced movies of this ilk. Ex-special forces agent Bryan has given up the life to become closer to his daughter. His wife has remarried, to a much richer man and she still resents him putting his country before his family. When she and his daughter approach him to ask permission for her to travel to Paris with friends over the summer, he reluctantly agrees but with the proviso that she rings him everyday and especially when they land in Paris. When she does ring him, she tells him that men have entered the apartment and have taken her friend and are coming for her. When his daughter is also taken this, of course, pushes Bryan into action and to use his skills, skills that he has developed over a long period of times, skills that will make him a nightmare for the people who have taken his daughter. So he heads to Paris with one thing on his mind, find his daughter and take no prisoners doing so.

This premise is, of course, just an excuse to see Liam Neeson showing that he can be just as skilful a fighter than any of the young pretenders. Using the same fighting style championed by Matt Damon in the 'Bourne' movies, this is close up, quick fighting that isn't as extravagant as some of the fighting seen in his previous films like 'The Transporter'. This style works well for the movie, with Neeson making short work of the Armenian's who were behind the taking of his daughter. Using his 'skills' in interrogation as well, this is certainly a movie that lets Liam Neeson have some fun and show just what he can do.

With decent support from Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen, 'Taken' is another action film from the Besson camp that works but wouldn't redefine the genre. Action fans should rejoice however, as this is a movie filled with sequences to enjoy, even if the plot might not be the most original or believeable.

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The Transporter

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2008