TAKEN (2009)

[The Burgomaster]

Well, maybe it isn't really a bad movie, but it isn't very good either.  The best part was I used the remaining money on a couple of gift cards I got for Christmas and ended up spending only 25 cents out of my own pocket for the ticket, popcorn, and a drink.

We've seen this all before: Liam Neeson is a divorced former government agent whose ex-wife has married a wealthy man and taken custody of their daughter.  Liam is trying to build a relationship with his daughter after all those years he was away from home on secret missions.  He can't seem to measure up to the step-dad (at least not financially), but when his daughter goes to France with a friend and both are kidnapped, Liam streaks into action using his best Jason Bourne moves.

As a mindless action film, this is okay.  But the character relationships are all cliched and forced.  Also, the biggest flaw is that the trail of clues he follows is too neat and too easy to follow.  He just goes from one obvious clue to the next, shooting, kicking, and karate chopping bad guys along the way.  And the final scene before the end credits is extremely sappy.

I suspect an urated director's cut will show up on DVD and it will at least make the action scenes a little better.

[Neville]

I though it was a kick-ass film... except for the occasional sappiness and the disturbing overtones. A subject as serious as white slavery rings shouldn't be used to add pathos to mindless action films, it only ruins the fun and makes you wonder about what sort of ethics the filmmakers have.

It's a pity, because other than that I thought it was neat, Liam Neeson is great and the action is fantastic.

[Doggett]

It's just been released on DVD in an extended version.

I prefer Commando.

They took his daughter, he killed the equivalent of a small country in return.

[ds21]

Liam Neeson...the only reason to watch the films that he's in.


Same with Steve Martin.

[indianasmith]

Just finished watching this one tonight.  LOVED IT!!  Great testosterone flick!

But seriously, if you're an East European white slaver, you should never, ever abduct the daughter of a retired CIA agent specializing in black ops . . . . much less taunt him on the phone afterward!!!

[The Burgomaster]

I didn't like it very much in the theater, but I bought the DVD anyway.  If the "extended cut" is truly extended, then it is extended only by a matter of seconds.  I didn't notice anything significantly different from when I saw it during its theatrical run. 

[Javakoala]

I didn't like it very much in the theater, but I bought the DVD anyway.  If the "extended cut" is truly extended, then it is extended only by a matter of seconds.  I didn't notice anything significantly different from when I saw it during its theatrical run. 

Wow, you are very generous to a film that you didn't care for when you saw it in the theater.  If I thought extended scenes might have helped a turkey, I might have rented it, but buy it?  You must be a better man than I.

[The Burgomaster]

I didn't like it very much in the theater, but I bought the DVD anyway.  If the "extended cut" is truly extended, then it is extended only by a matter of seconds.  I didn't notice anything significantly different from when I saw it during its theatrical run. 

Wow, you are very generous to a film that you didn't care for when you saw it in the theater.  If I thought extended scenes might have helped a turkey, I might have rented it, but buy it?  You must be a better man than I.

Actually, I have purchased quite a few movies I didn't care for in the theater.  It's some sort of sickness.