Taken

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)

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)

Steven Seagal, Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer. At least two of those names show up in pretty much every review of this film and it’s not a misguided comparison at all. Liam Neeson is your typical Bauer-like father that travels to save his daughter in a Bourne fashion, beating up his enemies à la Seagal. The script isn’t bursting with originality, the only thing that can surprise the viewer is what kind of coincidence will be used next for the hero to go a step further – but nobody watches action films because of the plot. The relentless and incorrect liquidation of Albanians and other subversive beings was a lot of fun, therefore, 4*. (24/10/2008)

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)

I can't believe I overlooked such a treasure for 3 years! It's been a few hours since I watched the film, but my excitement hasn't waned. Liam as the unstoppable father absolutely blew away all the heroes I've known up to this point. I finally felt like action was worth something again, and for good reason. The kidnapping itself was an incredible experience. I'm amazed! 5 stars. (04/02/2012)