Riveting Revenge Flick Featuring Liam Neeson Released on DVD
Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) recently retired from a dangerous career as a CIA agent to settle down in California near the person he cares about most, his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). Ever since his ex-wife (Famke Janssen) got remarried to a filthy-rich businessman (Xander Berkeley), it seems like Bryan has become of less importance in his little girl’s life.
For instance, at her 17th birthday party, his modest gift of a karaoke machine is overshadowed by the horse her step-dad could afford to surprise Kim with. The next day, she informs him for the first time of her impending plans to vacation in Paris with her best friend, Amanda (Katie Cassidy). Aware of the potential dangers which lay in wait for a couple of gullible tourists overseas, Bryan reluctantly signs the parental consent form
after Kim promises to call him everyday on her cell phone.
The naive teenagers still find trouble as soon as they land at the airport when they unwittingly agree to share a cab with a cute guy named Peter (Nicolas Giraud). After checking into their hotel, Kim calls her father to let him know they’ve arrived safely. But while they’re speaking on the phone, the room is broken into by a gang of Albanian mobsters obviously tipped-off by Peter.
Bryan listens helplessly, collecting clues until the line goes dead, and is calm and collected enough to discern that Kim and Amanda have been kidnapped. He immediately kicks it into high gear, leaving for Europe on the next flight. Once there, he’s too impatient to give the police a chance to to crack the case.
Instead, the desperate dad turns vigilante, taking the law into his own hand. Relying on his experience as an international spy, Bryan embarks on a one-man, adrenaline-fueled rampage to track down the creeps before they sell his daughter to sex traders.
This heart-stopping revenge flick written by Luc Besson is easily Liam Neeson’s most memorable performance since his Oscar-nominated outing in Schindler’s List.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for profanity, violence, sexuality, disturbing themes and drug references.
In French, Arabic, Albanian and English with subtitles.
Running time: 93 minutes
Studio: Fox Home Entertainment
To see a trailer of Taken,