Taken

Perhaps the best European action flick I know. What Pierre Morel does here is unmatched. Liam Neeson is flawless, the setting is as raw and authentic as it can be, and the action is so fast, raw, and dynamic that it takes your breath away. The atmosphere is wonderfully, with captivatingly cold characters, and one of the few action films where the “toughness” is truly tangible and completely believable (phone call, dens, party, auction, boat). A masterful gem of pure action and a future classic in a few years. (15/11/2008)

Revenge tastes sweet and people have always enjoyed the feeling of satisfaction that comes with carrying out an execution. Unfortunately, Judge Lynch has not been practicing for a long time, so the eager population has no choice but to watch a movie where the hero takes justice into his own hands. Typical of this kind of production is Charles Bronson's Death Wish series. Taken is a straightforward action movie, where the main character gradually massacres three criminal gangs at a high pace to rescue his underage daughter from their clutches. Isn't that nice? Maybe it would be if the screenplay wasn't like a typical Seagal movie, which differs only by casting an A-list actor in the lead role. Unfortunately, the fact is that an actor of Liam Neeson's caliber is wasted on such a film because he has nothing to do there. He is not suited for the role and his character acting has almost no room to shine because the dialogues are shallow and the plot is silly. Tension in similar action movies builds up when the hero faces a charismatic and capable opponent, but here the villains are incredibly easy targets. And even the only one the angry daddy encounters at the very end is dispatched too quickly. Then there is also a message aimed at the American market, which is crucial for the film's commercial success. Loving American parents, where the world of values has not yet been corroded and decayed like in the desolate decadent Europe, are portrayed as the opposite of a cynical French meat trader, gangs of criminal Albanians, or a self-indulgent Arab magnate. Overall impression: 45%. (20/08/2010)

The slickness of "Bourne films" and the conciseness of "Seagal films" met under the direction of one of the most talented craftsmen in Besson's film stable, resulting in the type of uncompromising action flick that has been missing from movie theaters for a while. Yet the main driving force is not so much the solid action, but rather the pissed-off Liam Neeson, whose position as a god of vengeance and protector of his daughter's virginity suits him damn fine. He sends the Albanian scum under the ground using clever moves, or the makeshift energy consumer of French power stations, all without the blink of an eye or any particularly robust emotions. With a denser plot and even more emphasis on physical (by that I mean calmer editing) action, I would have given it 5 stars. (19/10/2008)

Ultra-badass Liam Neeson in an action deluge from Luc Besson’s production team. Basically it’s all designed to let the ever wonderful Neeson teach the evil kidnappers a damn good lesson. The six-inch nails stuck into the knee of one of the kidnappers speaks volumes (in fact I remember picking up a nail like that at a building supplies fair and thinking about how much it would hurt if I jabbed somebody in the leg with it...). Pierre Morel’s second name is action and after District 13, this is another success in his rocketing career. (15/10/2008)

A bitter tale about a paranoid dad who kills a couple of ugly Arabs and Albanians on a trip to Paris, so that his princess’s luck doesn't run out and she doesn't end up on the gerontophile stick of a wicked rich man. From a rather illogical and sometimes sentimental spectacle, Morel and Neeson create an incredible adrenaline rush full of brilliant action and rough one-liners. I haven't seen such perfectly edited and frantic action for a long time, and they use almost exclusively very economical choreographies. One then forgets that the story doesn't really make sense at all and is only there as decoration. (06/10/2009)