5.22.2009

I am Taken With Liam Neeson







Last weekend my wife and I rented the French film Taken with Liam Neeson, a generally enjoyable romp showcasing a main character-hero defying the often typical Pansy portrayal of the Hollywood hero-man.



Why do I say this? Synopsis. I won’t give away too much here, but the film follows Neeson (awesome performance), as Bryan Mills, an ex-CIA member of the Special Activities Division. Familiar with SAD? If not, these guys basically perform the covert activity, paramilitary reconnaissance, intelligence gathering stuff that the CIA doesn’t know about. From what I am reading, if one of the SADs is compromised, the US government denies all knowledge thereof. Cool.



So the movie starts off portraying a fairly suburban Mills running some security details and such. He’s divorced. He’s not particularly charming. He loves his daughter but is distanced due to a difficult ex-wife. His daughter needs permission from him to go on a trip to Europe with her girlfriend, at first he objects but eventually he reluctantly acquiesces. Upon reaching the foreign shores some very unfortunate circumstances befall the Mills daughter and friend, the story then unfolds with Bryan Mills putting all his SAD training to use – putting together the pieces of the puzzle of the kidnapping of his daughter by a Euro sex-trade outfit.




Sound exciting? Believable? Ridiculous? I would say that it is a little of all and that’s a good thing. Heavy on action, turning points in the plot – this movie will have you on the edge of your seat. I won’t give away any more of the story but let’s just say that one of my favorite parts unfolds whilst Mills finding his daughter’s assailant, a Mr Marko. He promptly kills every single one of Marko’s comrades, (awesome gun fight), and then straps Marko in a chair rigged to the light circuit of the room. Mills needs intel on his daughter and Marko is not cooperating. Mills pulls the switch….this ensues several more times until Mills gets the location that he needs. Relevant to our current events in the U.S. Waterboarding is torture?


Teeming with recent enjoyment of this surprisingly good flick, I was curious as to how ‘professional journalists’ viewed it. I wasn’t surprised when I found that most reviews were abysmal, some just average. Average? C –


Kyle Smith of the New York Post – “Taken,” one of those Frenchy efforts to do an American-style chase-’em-down and shoot ’em up, comes from formerly respectful producer Luc Besson…..half a star…”Mistaken.” I’m sure that this guy would have loved the movie sans the action, and replacing Neeson (Mills), with a Che Guevera wannabe type, extolling the evils of capitalism and corporations and the moral equivalence of ‘freedom fighter’ jihadism …. 5 stars! ….. or just imagine that the movie portrayed a young Earth Liberation Front activist kidnapped by Oil executives, daddy being a ‘charming, eloquent’ activist himself then confronting his daughter’s Big Oil assailants and saving the day…..5 stars, spectacular!

Wrap up –
Taken -unusually good action movie portrayal of a man that sucks it up and does what he has to. Go out and rent it.
4 1/2 stars out of five….

13 comments:

  1. Conservative ScalawagMay 23, 2009 04:44 AM
    It was a good movie and I liked it.
    ReplyDelete
  2. Ky Long RiderMay 23, 2009 07:38 AM
    I haven’t seen this one but it sounds like it’s worth taking a look.
    ReplyDelete
  3. Always On WatchMay 23, 2009 08:03 AM
    I’ve got two Neflix films here at home and plan to watch both of them over the long weekend.

    Taken is next in my queue. Everything I’ve read about the film makes me want to see it.
    ReplyDelete
  4. Ananda girlMay 23, 2009 08:10 AM
    I have not yet seen it but intend to. I’ve been a fan of Liam Neeson since he was Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. I’d seen him before that, but didn’t pay much attention. In Les Mis. he was stunning.

    I put no stock in film critics at all. They are far too impressed with their own opinions and desire to be seen as knowledgeable to be objective. I guess some journalists are the same.
    ReplyDelete
  5. Tommi JeffersonMay 23, 2009 08:16 AM
    I loved the movie so much I didn’t even realize it was French. Liam Neeson was great in it and behaved the way I’d wish my father could if I was in he same situation. Working on a deadline to find her, he did what he needed to do in order to make that happen. And Neeson portrayed the part beautifully. I loved his character for the same reasons I love Jack Bauer. Do what it takes to get the job done.
    ReplyDelete
  6. Left Coast RebelMay 23, 2009 10:12 AM
    Cons Scal – I wish there were more action movies like this!

    KY Long R – check it out, you won’t be dissapointed

    AOA – I guess I was just a couple days ahead of you

    Ananda – me too Neeson is a great actor

    Tommi – Same here! I only found that by doing a little research for the review….
    ReplyDelete
  7. Opus #6May 23, 2009 05:08 PM
    I have to see this movie. LL told me about it, and now you.
    ReplyDelete
  8. Left Coast RebelMay 23, 2009 05:28 PM
    Opus – tell me how you like it!
    ReplyDelete
  9. madmath1May 24, 2009 11:12 PM
    I was shocked that Hollywood would protray a man and father so strongly only to find out it’s a French Film. I let my daughter see it to demonstrate why we (her parents) have rules and what the military (though one man in this case) is there to do to protect us. My daughter’s favorite scene was the same as mine and LCR’s. We loved seeing that A-Hole getting a charge out of his technique (I knew this scene alone was why the leftist slander the reviews). My leftist and difficult ex wife (the one in the movie reminded me of her soooooooo much) threaten to take me to court over it, but recanted when my daughter made it known she would testify in my behalf. Libs, they love che and terrorists and hate those that defend our daughers from a fate that feminists would find worse than death.
    ReplyDelete
  10. Left Coast RebelMay 25, 2009 08:36 AM
    madmath1 – Well, said, it probaably says a lot about a person as to whether or not they like the film, and if so, which parts (‘)
    ReplyDelete
  11. MichelleMay 26, 2009 03:20 AM
    I have heard that was movie was good. Its on my Nexflix list. I may have to move it to the top.
    ReplyDelete
  12. mksviewsMay 26, 2009 06:00 AM
    I saw this a while ago and i too liked it, didn’t know it was a French movie though. Just wish that was really how those scumbags are treated in real life.
    ReplyDelete
  13. Andrew33Jun 14, 2009 05:38 AM
    I DARE SOMEBODY TO WEAR A CHE T-SHIRT HERE. For those of you who don't know, I live just 30 mins north of Miami. Cubans shoot people who wear "Che" or Fidel attire. I personally have never seen a Che t-shirt except on t.v.
    ReplyDelete

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