Neeson saves plot and daughter in 'Taken'
By Saurabh Muzumdar
"Taken," which has surprisingly taken the box office by storm, is not for the faint of heart.
A tale of vigilante justice, this fast-paced thriller takes you through the streets of Paris with a barrage of gun shots, explosions, stabbings and more innovative ways of subduing the human form.
Liam Neeson, a fine actor by all accounts, lends his expertise to this lackluster endeavor, and producer Luc Besson, the creator of the bankrolling "Transporter" series, once again works with a shabby plot.
At the same time, this movie is highly entertaining and moves so fast that you're not left looking at your watch, waiting for the lackadaisical tale to end.
Neeson, whose last notable role was in "Batman Begins," plays Bryan Mills, a father who has recently retired from the CIA. His noble cause for retiring was to be closer to his teenage daughter, who is quickly moving on with her life in the company of her bitter mom, played by Famke Janssen, and wealthy stepfather.
Mills, scarred by his past, is an eternal pessimist and stalks his daughter's moves with good intentions, but often intrusive vigor.
The realms of Mills' dark outlook are tested when his daughter, Kim, played by Maggie Grace, urges him to let her go to Paris with a friend. He reluctantly lets her go with a strict set of rules for her to follow.
In Paris, the naïve girls are kidnapped by human traffickers who give Mills 96 hours to rescue his daughter.
Mills, a tour de force of competence and strength, literally stops at nothing to rescue his daughter, leaving a trail of destruction in his rear-view mirror.
The screenplay is scratchy at best. When Mills prophetically tells his daughter's kidnappers, "I will find you, and I will kill you," it comes across as ridiculous, and it's hard to take the movie seriously thereafter.
The sensitive issue of human trafficking could have been handled with more detail. However, tackling prominent social issues is definitely not one of Besson's more inspiring traits.
One of the big problems this film faces is teetering on being taken as a joke because of the incredulous violence. While most people were inclined to groan when the bad guy is getting electrocuted, there was definitely some laughter in the air.
Another issue was the patchy characterization of the villains. We may live in an era of globalization, but the idea of dishevelled Albanians, moneyed Arabs, greedy Frenchmen and a host of other nationalities teaming up is a little too much to fathom in this short of a movie.
In addition, Neeson's supporting cast is weak, but out of no fault of theirs. The exceptionally-gorgeous Janssen has a nothing role with almost no screen time. Grace has a great chance to hone her crying skills, an act she performs with great continuity.
The lone bright spot in the film is Neeson. His intensity is a stark contrast to his otherwise calm demeanor. He is as doting of a father as he is fearless and ruthless.
In a nutshell, Neeson is James Bond without the glamour and Steven Segal without the swagger.
Make no mistake, this movie is highly entertaining. Just remember, you're going to the theater for the popcorn and not to make memories.
Grade: B-
Contact Saurabh Muzumdar at smuzumdar@scu.edu.