5/10Taken
is the latest script from Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, directed
here by Pierre Morel, previously the cinematographer on their
earlier collaboration The Transporter. Besson is noted
for his stylish action films like The Fifth Element and
The Professional, which bears some resemblance to this
plot.
Here we have retired CIA spy Bryan (Liam Neeson)
divorced with his beloved daughter living with her mother Lenore
(Famke Janssen) and her new father Stuart (Xander Berkeley) who’s
obscenely wealthy. Bryan earns some money as a protector of fabulous
young divas; in this case Holly Valance. However his daughter
Kim (Maggie Grace) makes a very unwise decision to travel to Paris
with ditzy friend Amanda (Kate Cassidy), despite Bryan’s
protests that it’s bad news for two young girls go there
on their own.
Naturally the girls strike trouble immediately when
they arrive at the Paris airport as they meet a plausible young
con-man who lures the naive kids into a kidnaping by Albanian
desperados wanting to sell them into slavery. This all happens
quickly enough. Bryan, hearing the struggle of the girls on the
phone, sets off in hot pursuit and using his CIA assassination
skills, he goes about tracking down the kidnappers and try to
rescue his daughter. From then on it’s virtually non stop
action, murder and mayhem. The kidnappers live to regret wishing
him good luck in finding them.
Here’s an example of a film that’s
great for the first reel then the wheels fall off as it changes
direction. You initially feel sympathy for Bryan as he attends
his daughter’s birthday party, he’s selected what
he thinks will be a really neat gift for Kim but it’s totally
overshadowed by her stepfather’s present of a pony. Bryan’s
so crestfallen, we think he’s a pretty likable character.
Liam Neeson’s good, just watch the increasing pain on his
face as he later hears his daughter’s struggle on the phone.
Trailer
But then stretching credibility to breaking point, things go totally
berserk. Mr. Nice Guy undergoes an amazing transformation to Rambo
with overtones of James Bond as he hurtles about Paris hunting
down the band of crims without remorse, using more than a touch
of torture to get information. Bryan manages to end up destroying
a considerable part of the fair city not to mention knocking off
a few dozen unpleasant villains along the way. Even dodgy old
ladies are not immune.
No doubt action fans will be satisfied because there’s
hardly time to take another mouthful of popcorn between fatalities.
And there are some well conceived sequences such as the airport
chase. But the leap from a sympathetic father to a killing machine
in maniac mode is hard to swallow, especially since Liam Neeson
(Breakfast on Pluto) is so miscast in this role. A commendable
actor but not really convincing trying to ape the likes of Bruce
Willis.
The cast includes Maggie Grace the versatile star
of Lost and The Jane Austin Book Club, winding
back the clock to be 17 again and sounding even younger. She has
little to do here but squeal at the right times.
Pierre Morel’s most at home with action scenes
driving the pace along at a smart bat. As you might expect the
cinematography is competent with a suitably gritty look, and stunt
men have their work cut out. It seems Russians and now Albanians
are the nefarious crooks in the latest flicks. Guess it gives
the Nazis a break. Despite my reservations, this action thriller
works at one level - fast and furious - but defies credibility.
5/10
Taken
is the latest script from Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, directed
here by Pierre Morel, previously the cinematographer on their
earlier collaboration The Transporter. Besson is noted
for his stylish action films like The Fifth Element and
The Professional, which bears some resemblance to this
plot.