Taken (2008/I)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Pierre Morel

Writers (WGA):

Luc Besson (written by) &
Robert Mark Kamen (written by)

Release Date:

30 January 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Die Zeit für Rache ist gekommen. (The time for revenge has come.)

Plot:

A former spy relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been forced into the slave trade.

Plot Keywords:

Chase | Stepfather | Human Trafficking | Agent | Surveillance

Awards:

1 nomination

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Liam Neeson	...	Bryan Mills
Famke Janssen	...	Lenore
Leland Orser	...	Sam
Radivoje Bukvic	...	Anton (as Rasha Bukvic)
Mathieu Busson	...	Undercover agent
Holly Valance	...	Sheerah
Katie Cassidy	...	Amanda
Xander Berkeley	...	Stuart
Nicolas Giraud	...	Peter
Maggie Grace	...	Kim
Jon Gries	...	Casey
Marc Amyot	...	Pharmacist
Rubens Hyka	...	Leka
Arben Bajraktaraj	...	Marko
Camille Japy	...	Isabelle

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

France

Language:

English | French | Albanian | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Netherlands:12 | USA:PG-13 (cut version) | Australia:MA | UK:15 (edited version) | New Zealand:R16 | Ireland:15A | South Africa:16LV | Peru:14 | Argentina:16 | France:-12 | Brazil:16 | UK:18 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-15 | Chile:Y7 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Norway:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) (DVD rating) | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | USA:Unrated (DVD rating) (uncut version) | Hong Kong:IIB | Denmark:15 | Austria:16 | Iceland:16 | Japan:PG-12

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Europa Corp.

Trivia:

In the film, Katie Cassidy's character (Amanda) is 19 years old and Maggie Grace's character (Kim) is 17 years old. In real life, Maggie is 3 years older than Katie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Brian listens to the recording of his daughter on the airplane, the recording starts when his daughter says "They've got her", which would have been when his daughter was in the bathroom. Brian originally started the recording after his daughter was under the bed in the bedroom so the recording would not have that part in it. It would have also recorded Brian's voice which was not on the recording.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Singh: Mr. Mills, how are you?
Bryan: I'm fine. How are you?
Singh: Very fine. I suppose you want to see it again?
Bryan: You should know why I'm here.
Singh: You know where it is.
Bryan: Oh yeah.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Men in Black (1997)

Soundtrack:

Happy Birthday

Neeson is the vodka of James Bond's martini

The most thrilling movie I've seen in a long time. Neeson is what we would fear if James Bond went to hell and came back for revenge (I doubt big budget Quantum of Solace will top this). I loved Jason Bourne; but where Bourne is confused for half the movie, Neeson is looking down a barrel of a pistol 3/4 of the time. In a three way spy battle, I would put Neeson edging out Bourne, who would be a step ahead of Bond.

Between the jaw-dropping action sequences was the subject matter of international trafficking, which was pretty miserable to watch. Although homicide is wrong, death was never more satisfying to watch.