Slick action, a straightforward story, and one of the most fearsome performances from Liam Neeson I have ever seen make "Taken" an awesome filmic experience.

Taken is one of the greatest action movies I have ever seen, the plot will keep you hooked and on the edge of your seat, I wasn't disappointed with this movie and you wont be either.

Neeson seems to have something going for him, He manages to take a generic film and make it into a blockbuster action flick that you shouldnt miss. The plot was generic and too similar to other action films out there but Neeson brings to life the action sequences and his performance takes this film to a whole other level.

On the face of it, Taken shouldn't be any better than 90% of all the other action/thriller releases. It's got the usual sort of plot - retiree with convenient ass-kicking past coming out of retirement and...kicks ass. The difference between Taken and, say, one of Arnie or Sly's clunkers is that the lead character, effectively portrayed by Liam Neeson, is actually empathetic. I don't know why no one thought of Neeson as an action hero before this - he's an imposing figure, and he can still clearly handle the stunts despite being in his late 50s. He's not just out to teach the bad guys a lesson just because they're bad (and bad they are), but he'll stop at nothing to get his kidnapped daughter home. There is no stronger force than the love of a parent for their child, and it is the telling of this aspect of the story, of a previously absent father trying to prove himself to his estranged daughter, that truly stands out in the film. Of course, being an action thriller with input from Luc Besson (writer and producer) and direction from Pierre Morel (who was the cinematographer on The Transporter and Unleashed), Taken was bound to have style in abundance, and it does. The film makes Paris look beautiful, and the action is expertly handled. Despite its technical competence, the action does become a little generic after a while, and though it never gets dull, the film isn't quite as exciting in its latter stages, and the plot is wrapped up a little too hastily. It's also a shame that a sequel has already been commissioned, so it looks like Neeson is going to be stuck doing the same sort of thing for some time to come, and it will get old fast. That said, Taken is a nice diversion, and provides us with a surprisingly well-rounded and relatable action man in Bryan Mills.… Expand

I really didnt know why I liked the movie as much as I did until I relized that it was Liam Neeson's performance that took this film to the next level. The action is great, the plot is interesting but somewhat generic compared to other action films, and the cast is solid. Totally worth watching.

Taken is one of the best pure action movies of the last ten years. watching Liam Neeson rip Paris apart as he frantically searches for his daughter is both intense and great fun. Taken is an excellent movie from start to finish.

Liam Neeson was great and I dont think anyone else could do this role as good as him. Though the story was pretty generic - The action was good and it kept you on edge from start to finish. Well worth the watch.

a simple plot guys daughter gets get kid napped and he goes to save her . the plot may be simple but the action , acting the suspense is very well done and makes for a exciting movie .

I'm not really sure what the critics are on about here because this was a fantastic film and clearly the majority of people on this site agree with me. Fast-paced, dark and mysterious, Liam Neeson does a wonderful job in winning our hearts as he travels the world (Europe) to save his daughter.

Very good action thriller. Liam Neeson was really good for his part and so was Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen. The action scenes were awsome and it was fun to watch Liam Neeson beat up bad guys.

First of all, the drawbacks. I know I hate to do this, but there was a few things wrong with the film. For one thing, it was slightly predictable because I didn't think this film would end with something bad happening. Everything's good until the ending, it just sort of fizzles out. Next, it would be pretty exaggerated that someone would be able to rescue someone from a human trafficking group in only a few days. The pacing was a bit thin on the ground, and I also think the girls were portrayed as screechy, weepy, able to believe anything anyone says and blab everything to someone they've just met. Now that's over and done with, there's a few good points I'd like to say. It tackled a very important issue, and, even if it were over exaggerated, that does happen in the world, so it was quite brave to tackle this kind of issue. I think the violence was the least of my problems, and it was thrilling to see Liam Neeson do a bit of ****-kicking because he definitely looked suited for the role. I loved the relationship of his daughter and him, which made me hate the step-father and mother more (what an **** hole and a **** Generally it was a entertaining film, it just needs a bit more work to fix the predictable and confusingly paced storyline, although I think the critics have been a little harsh on what I call an OK film.… Expand

Liam Neesen makes a convincing action hero with a "particular set of skills" in this wisp on an action film. Things move along at a rapid pace and the outcome is never in doubt which makes for a tidy movie going experience. Still, a little bit of complexity and a touch of emotional depth would have helped to keep this meager revenge fantasy from fading almost instantaneously from memory.

I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.… Expand

Could have been a lot better. The first half is really engaging but the movie loses steam going into the second half. The ending could have been more rewarding, too.

Taken is Liam Neeson at his best. Bryan Mills is a retired CIA field operative and father to his teenage daughter Kim. As a birthday present to Kim one of her friends Amanda invites her to Paris to follow the band U2 on their tour. After lying to her father and going to Paris, Kim and Amanda are abducted. Bryan travels to Paris and uses his ex-CIA skills to track her and her kidnappers down.
A true thrill ride that never ceases to amaze with its constant edge of your seat action and a story that always keeps you guessing.… Expand

This movie was actually better then I thought it would be. For the last year all I have heard is how great this movie was, but I could not see this actually being any good. I finally got a hold of a copy and sat down and watched it. First off the acting was all around great for an action flick. Typically action flicks have good leads and weak everything else. I didn't really see a horrible actor. Next the plot was good and kept me interested. The thing that bothered me was the bad guys fell victim to the typical action movie pit fall. They shot thousands of bullets and only his him once (at the end of the movie no less). Yet our hero typically hits whoever is being aimed at. I get he was a hard core special forces guy but for the love of god he doesn't have an invisible force field. I kinda gave the fact a pass because I really can't think of an action movie that doesn't have that issue. Over all the movie was fun and exciting, its a definite watch.… Expand

This movie starts out very slowly and has such annoying female characters that it almost made me turn it off. However, once it got started it quite managed to get a hold of me and I enjoyed the over-the-top action scenes thoroughly. For some reason all the women are cast as ignorant and spoiled creatures and they remain so until the end where they go right back to doing what they did before, as if though being kidnapped and sold as a slave doesn't make you wonder if perhaps you need to rethink your lifestyle. Normally I don't really care about seeing women empowered but it wouldn't hurt if they made the female characters develop a bit throughout the movie. Then again, the movie was really mostly about the protagonist Bryan Mills (Liam Neelson) so everyone else was mostly filler and it shows. Glad I didn't turn it off, though. Looking forward to watching Taken 2.… Expand

"Taken" is a brutal, relentless, adrenaline-charged punch to the face. It manages, in 90 minutes, to kick more ass than your average 2-hour action thriller, and still it leaves plenty of exposition to develop true, believable characters and establish genuine relationships. Liam Neeson delivers a powerhouse performance as a retired government spy who goes after a prostitution ring responsible for abducting his daughter, and although he may not look like it at first, he could give James Bond a run for his money. The action in this movie is very fast-paced, and once things get going the movie goes a mile a minute - you cannot help but get swept up in it all. This is one satisfying vendetta of violence at its most polished and pristine.… Expand

Liam Neeson plays Bryan Mills, an ex-CIA agent who's daughter is kidnapped. The reason why I like this film so much is the fact that Bryan will stop at nothing to get his daughter back, not caring what risks he takes, he will do anything, and I mean ANYTHING, to get back his daughter. He shoots his old friens wife in the arm, he chases a boat by driving at high speed the wrong way down a road and leaves a man to die from electrocution. At one point, he gets stabbed, shot and jumps through a glass pane, but none of that even slows him down, because his daughter's the most important thing to him, and he will endure anything to save her life. Liam Neeson is utterly believable in this role. Proof is in the scene where he listens to his daughter being kidnapped and says a little speech to the kidnapper, that if she is let go, he'll forget the whole thing, but if not, he will hunt the kidnapper down and kill him. Every single word Neeson says here, you believe him. You believe that he will stay true to his word and kill the man responsible for this, and he eventually does. This film boasts some brilliant action sequences, especially when Neeson finds the man he spoke to on the phone. He kills every man in that room and that dare to wander in his path, leaving the kidnapper to his self. I think I especially like this film because it reminds me of a favourite show of mine, the recently cancelled 24. Think about it, Neeson channels Jack Bauer, doing anything to get his daughter back, not giving a damn about the consequences, not thinking twice, doing whatever it takes to get back his kidnapped daughter within a time frame. Also, the action sequences, where Neeson is faced against a large number of men, but ends up winning nonetheless. This movie does exactly what it says on the tin, being a high octane action film with Neeson wanting to get his daughter back, and it doesnt try to pretend to be anything more. Please, enjoy… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you are looking for a Bourne rip-off with logic, you are in the wrong area. If you're look for a fun action-thriller, you are in the right place.If you even try to incorporate logic, you're gonna hate it. Because Neeson takes on 10 bad guys firing at him several times in the movie and he only gets hit once in hit abdomen. And it's predictable, but that doesn't take away from this fun exciting movie. This is Neeson's show. he is in every scene and he pulls it off perfectly. Maggie Grace plays her role great. Overall, if you like fun and suspenseful movies, you will like Taken… Expand

'Taken' is a very basic action/thriller, centering on a man doing whatever it takes to get his kidnapped daughter back. The man is played by Liam Neeson, however, which means trouble for the guys that took his daughter. There is a lot of hand-to-hand combat in the film, and it's exhilarating to watch as Neeson takes out multiple people in a matter of seconds with quick shots and the feel of impact as people are punched and kicked. There really isn't much reason to see the film for other than Neeson's strong performance and the butt kicking action scenes. With that being said, the film is well made and entertaining throughout it's brisk 93 minute running time.… Expand

It's got all the attributes of a guilty pleasure - excitement, some undeniably enjoyable scenes and the absence of what it needs to be more memorable and more substantial.

I didn't expect this film to be good at all, but turns out that sometimes simplicity works best. There's nothing particularly special or unique about Taken compared to other action films, but where other films stretch to be over 2 hours with lots of fillers and unnecessarily complicated plots (which can be annoying to explain if you're watching with someone else who isn't following), Taken is an action move for everyone. Think of it as a simplified Bourne movie; only in the context of an ex-CIA agent's daughter being kidnapped abroad. Of course, the film feels very standard. Everything is predictable from start to finish, there are a lot of clichés and there are no surprises. What Taken does is set a generic framework for an action film. It's simple, easy to follow, not too violent, not too long and not boring.… Expand

I never saw this in theaters, or saw it when it first came out on DVD. My friend gave me a boot-leg of this, so I didn't have to spend I dime on it. I never bothered with it till I saw the trailer of a sequel to this movie in theaters, so I was thinking that I should just watch this movie and get it over with. I just watched it, and I am completely shocked about how well done this was. Liam Neeson is one of my favorite badass actors ever since he was Ra's Al Ghul in "Batman Begins". All I need to say is that he is one of the smartest action heroes I've ever seen in any action movie. Here's what I mean, in many action movies, the hero always takes his time to kill the boss or a henchmen. They just waits till the last minute to kill them or just leave them alive. But in this movie, Liam Neeson doesn't take his time or leave the enemies alive, he kills them all immediately! Even the final boss was simple to finish off. When the boss is holding a knife on somebody you've been trying to rescue, just shoot him in the head. He's not gonna kill her after he's gonna be dead by a simple shot, and that's exactly what Liam Neeson did. Smartest action hero EVER. Not only was the hero great, but the action and chase scenes were unbelievable. It keeps getting better and more exciting, I've been jumping and cheering Liam to survive and quickly save his daughter. It was awesome, and unexpecting to see something like this in an action movie. This movie deserves more positive reviews from critics, because this isn't one of those simple cliched action films. This is something different and well done, and needs to be seen by every action fan.… Expand

Even better than ''Unknown''! A lot of action too, but a lot more, a lot of good, well-performed shots and fights... credible, a based on little details, in fact this movie is about action and details, all the few details, even if they are almost invisible are what devolope in a believable action scene! There's also scenes that take your breath away, like ''I cannot believe'' or ''wow, now I understand what he (Liam's character) really feels''... incredible, well-done and credible action scenes, well-chosen actors, and deep feelings about the parents relations, families, incredibly disturbing images, but real, sadly, madly REAL! Good Job!!… Expand

Oh wow...it is one of the best thriller movie I think it's the unique movie all over the world showing relationship of a father to his daughter.. Whole movie was too amazing and Liam Neeson just killed it... He is very strong in all scenes.. The best scene is when he says to marko that..i will find you and i will kill you .. Fantastic execution,very good action and many intense scenes with thrilling plot...which totally works for almost all type of audience..must watch movie..especially for hero of the movie i.e Liam Neeson.. :D Just loved it :)… Expand

Some words to describe this movie: tenacious, no mercy, intense, action-packed, etc. This movie is different from the mainstream movie of today, which I liked. In most action movies the main character usually doesn't shoot everyone with no mercy, in most movie he tries to find the "nicest" way to get to the end, but not in this movie. Liam does everything in his power to save his daughter, he just walks in and starts shooting everybody, no stand offs where the characters talk to each other while they have guns pointing at each other heads in this movie.… Expand

Surprisingly well done, and very intense. Liam Neesen does and excellent job playing the role of the action hero. The James Bond franchise should look at this movie and take some pointers.

This is a really good film, another brilliant film by Liam Neeson. this will definitely be a big hit with action lovers, it never stops giving, with realistic action, this is edge of your seat action at its best.

Liam Neeson displayed a very deep, very dangerous man in this intense thriller directed by Pierre Morel (From Paris With Love, District B13). The story takes you in from the first scene. Hence the title: Taken. Liam Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a former spy with very deadly, very stealth, and very deadly skills that make him a straight up nightmare to people involved in dirt, scum, kidnapping rings, drugs etc. When his daughter and her best friend take a trip to Paris to follow rock group U2 on their Europe tour, things go terribly wrong and the two young girls are kidnapped and taken into a seedy underworld of prostitution and drugs. Mills knew that it was a bad idea the whole time, but his ex-wife played by Famke Janssen encourages the trip to let her daughter be free and see the world. Neeson engages in a personal mission to get his daughter back, a process that he is willing to stop at nothing for.
-Taken was directed really well and has some pretty good acting. The super-glue of the film was in fact the tense story. Overall 'Taken' was a very original and interesting story, and it ultimately proves that you do not want to **** around with Liam Neeson, especially if it involves his daughter! Very good movie.… Expand

"I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you". One of Brian's most famous quotes in this non stop action packed thriller. If ever I have children, I hope I have the knowledge and skills that this guy has, trust me you do not want to mess with this man. Taken is an action/thriller film, starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace. Liam's character, Brian Mills is a former CIA operative and prevents bad things from happening. The opening starts off with Brian, who is very close to his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace). He arrives at her house to drop off her birthday present, but Lenore, (Famke Janssen) Brian's ex-wife, is very strict, and doesn't seem to trust or care about him, especially when she tries to send him away without even giving the present to Kim herself. After meeting at the Cafe Kim informs her Dad about a trip to Paris, and wants to go with her friends. Though uncomfortable with all this, he lets her go. Once they arrive in Paris, Kim and her friend Amanda meet this handsome French guy called Peter, who offers to share a taxi with them, and they agree. All three of them arrive at the hotel and Peter invites them to a party, Kim warns Amanda off because they don't even know him, but she doesn't listen and accepts his invite. As they settle into their apartment, Kim receives a missed call from her Dad. She calls, and tells him everything that's going on. Then Kim and her friend Amanda are taken by these men. Fortunately for Brian he has skills that he has required over a very long career and makes him a nightmare for people like them. And from this point on, we see what Brain is really capable of. If this man could do all the stuff he does in the movie in real life, there would be no need for policemen, FBI or the military. The film contains some great action scenes, great performances, especially from Liam who is like the Irish James Bond and more importantly a great story. I enjoy thrillers like this, it's dark, it's intense and its characters are exactly as they would be if the audience were the characters.… Expand

This is a good movie and I'm shocked that the Critics would rate it so low. Intense from the word go, Liam Neesen is awesome in this role.

This movie was long and drawn out, Taken's plot used several cliches and had several awkward moments. Taken was painful to watch.The movie is boring and doesn't get engaging until the end.

Liam Neeson does an exceptional job in this film. Love the way he bashes bad guys faces in while only breaking slightly more of a sweat then Bond. Good movie. Well worth your time

It's a cross between Frantic and the Bourne movies, but by the Transporter Team.
I suppose there's some appeal in seeing kidnapping scumbags get their come-uppence, but there's no real tension or intrigue. He goes to France, he follows the trail with improbable ease, he kills EVERYONE, often with just a quick flick of the wrist. He gets knocked on the head and captured once...3 minutes later he kills them all too.
Entertaining enough guff, but it's nothing more than a very daft action movie with some nasty scenes and a reasonably respectable lead actor.… Expand

The last time I remember seeing Liam Neeson was in Schindler's List a couple years back and I was both amazed and captivated by his performance. So I decided to checkout one of his more recent efforts and I got to say Taken is underrated in the action-thriller genre. Taken follows the story of Bryan Mills (Liam Neesoon), a divorced, retired government agent out to search for his kidnap daughter in Paris. While Taken does venture into familiar territory, it's well written with a believable protagonist and an interesting plot to keep anyone engage. Unlike most action movies we have Liam Neeson who's an actor first and an action star second. You'll definitely care about him thanks to his great performance and is surprisingly very believable when he kills henchmen after henchmen. He's easily the best part of the movie aside from the well told and thrilling plot. What's surprise me most of all is that it wasn't better received by critics. Sure Taken doesn't break any new ground, but it's much better than your average action flick as even the dramatic scenes are as entertaining as the action set-pieces. Not only is it well shot with a tense atmosphere keeping you at the edge of your seat, it also got good acting which is hard to come by in this genre. Despite feeling familiar to other action-thrillers, Taken is ultimately fun entertainment. With a well told story that has an interesting leading character and enough violence to satisfy, Taken is a blast from beginning to end.… Expand

Taken represents a wierd oblique encouragement for western authorities to 'take the gloves off' when dealing with middle eastern threats, represented here by Albanian slave traders with a crescent moon tattoos. The other enemies, of course are the corrupt, and decadent French, who for some sin or other are characterised as ammoral devils who would turn a blind eye on western girls being sold into sexual servitude for just a few Euros. Somewhat wierd for a movie that cites a Frenchman in its production. Sadly fact is usually more amazing than fantasy and this movie is no exception. Something based on the real plight of Eastern European women being sold into forced prostitution could have been far more compelling. This movie soon degenerates into a sadistic tirade of the hero beating up and killing dozens of run-of-the mill bad guys. The movie has no pauses, no moments of realisation, nothing interesting or scary. No good dialogue, nothing but the celebration of the killing prowess of a professional killer. Liam Neesen dials in a very unenthusiastic performance looking very much like an actor who lost his wife in a skiing accident, with no interest in the slightest in making a movie glorifying murder, going through the motions because he will get a paycheck so that he can go back and spend quality time trying to live as happily as he can in the shadow of his loss. As far as I can see the whole thing is some kind of propaganda effort trying to reinforce negative stereotypes. The action is the same crap you see in almost every American movie these days. Fight scenes where the hero is good at ramming random household objects up the noses and into the brains of certified 100% guaranteed 'bad guys' who deserved to die. The audience is thus invited to relish and glorify a whole bunch of romantically enhanced butchery, and feel great when the good duy inevitably walks into the sunset, without even bruised knuckles. Since practically everything made in America is made to exactly the same recipe, taken is your standard contemporary American garbage with a Frenchman embarrassing himself in the credits. I'm sure Albanian slave traders are very nasty indeed. A movie that dealt into the hows and whys of that would have been much better than this crap. Don't movie makers understand that incessant violence dilutes the dramatic power of violence. The fear of death is worse than death. There are a thousand creative cliches that advice film makers on what constitutes narrative power. All yellow and red reviews indicate signs of intelligence. Green constitute the mob. Fools all.… Expand

This movie is utter garbage, now i knw why d name "liam neeson" rang no bells..."Taken" definitli topped mi list of crappiest movies of 2008.i mean seriosly,i was nt d list bit thrilled...nd d 1 liners "this is nt a threat,wen i get u it will b very slow nd it will hurt".(wit unbelievable sarcasm)..oh no plzz,im so scared,im literally shaken in my boots....wat a joke.HORRIBLE ACTING,Avoid dis movie… Expand

I read the critics' reviews for Taken before heading to the theater, and they almost dissuaded me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Sure, it lacked the psychological pins and needles that every movie these days must walk upon before being branded as "watchable", but I liked that. It was elegantly simple. It didn't try to be too complicated.
Generally speaking, movies of that nature really are a bore, but Taken pulled it off very well. It wasn't a plot involving Russian conspiracy, or aliens, or betrayal by the American government. It was about a retired CIA field agent who, with all of his skills, can't seem to manage a successful life. But he puts those skills to use to get his daughter back, simply because he's a dedicated father. That's it. Why do movies have to be taken so seriously these days?
See Taken if you like Liam Neeson, and you enjoy just having a good time watching a movie. Avoid it if you prefer to have to unravel a large puzzle to get to your coq au vin.… Expand

Great action - not for the bleeding hearts who mostly review movies.

10 minutes of set up for 80 minutes of intense, non-stop action. I saw this movie last year in Australia and loved every minute of it.

Exceptional!! Taken is the most adrenaline pumping, action packed thriller I've seen in awhile. Taken stars Liam Neeson as Brian Mills an ex-black op's agent who while trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter allows her to go to Paris for some fun and relaxation away from home. But as soon as they get there she is kidnapped by a group of men who are involved in human trafficking. Now Brian has less than 48 hours to find her or she's gone forever. Taken is one of the most well made movies to come out this year, it's an amazing thrill ride that you cant miss. I very highly recommend this movie.… Expand

Attention 24 Fans: SEE THIS MOVIE.

What's wrong with the critics giving such scores for this? This movie was just what it tried to be, an action movie with a lead character being a real badass killing machine with the know how and moves. His girl gets taken away from him, he goes to get her back. Simple and nothing else needed, I felt entertained thro the whole movie. Also I miss these "feel good" action movies from time to time where the lead really kicks ass and gets the job done without too much hassle. I mean take Arnold's Commando for example, if you want to see paypack delivered with no questions asked, these are the movies you'd want to see. Bravo!… Expand

Are these "critics" out of their minds? I'm not really in the mood of writing a review after metacritic turned down my last review saying the film wasn't out yet when it had already been out in the UK, so I'm not going into detail, but Taken was just as good as, if not better, than any of the Bourne films. Neeson was absolutely awesome as always, and it provided some of the best action (non-stop) of 2008. Brilliantly shot, and the story actually stayed quite unteresting, but the film stayed true to it's roots, a hard as nails action flick in which Liam Neeson tares apart anything with legs. I LOVED this film, please watch it. Unless you're a stuck up snob who tries to pride himself among watching independent films and only agreeing with metacritic's review scores, and not taking the time to sit back, relax, and enjoy a film, then watch this and you wont regret doing so.… Expand

Solid action all the way through. Neeson does a great job in this film.

The most shocking thing in this movie is how it

Screw the critics - I loved it. Get's into the story quick and doesn't let up. Give me this over and over rated James Bond movie any day.

Great movie!!! We were on the edge of our seat the whole time!!!

You get what you expect. Liam is an awesome action hero. I don't expect high review scores by the newspapers but people will like it.

I highly recomend this movie, especialy if you were disipointed by the last James Bond film. I find Neeson's character more comelling than Bond because he's not in it for the beautiful women, he's in it to save his family.

It is absolutely, positively absurd that critics are not giving Taken much better reviews. (48). It a really good story, well acted and directed and the viewer cares about the characters-which is rare in a film. Dark Knight an 82, Gran Torino a 72 and Taken a 48? I don't think so.

Could only have been better if instead of Albanian bad guys it was Wall Street Bankers! Gets your mind off everything!!!

Fun flick. Just what you would expect. 1 and 1/2 hours of *ss-kicking.

Very good movie. Worth the money. It has a very good story line and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The movie starts off great and continually moves up the ladder.

On what was supposed to be a routine detail assignment, Bryan Mills(Liam Neeson), recently emasculated by a bout of birthday present one-upmanship, gets one ball back after he successfully defends a pop diva from her would-be assassin. He gets the other ball back when Kim(Maggie Grace) is kidnapped by a sex-trafficking ring, in which this former spy, to his good fortune, gets to reassert himself as the alpha male in his daughter's eyes, should he afford her the opportunity to ride the horse that trumped the karaoke machine. Jokingly referred to as Rambo by a friend, the name not only suits his one-man army stronghold tactics, but the filmic context in which he does battle, as well. There's a war in France, a war against the sex industry, that surreptitously makes reference to the Indochina War, in which France and Vietnam are forever intertwined. As Ted Kotcheff's "First Blood" was a wish-fulfillment movie about saving POWs, "Taken" also serves the same function, since the filmmaker, like the men who helmed the Rambo franchise, puts things into order by means of reductionism. In stark contrast to "Taken", there is Lukas Moodyson's fatalistic worldview of the same topical issue, the sobering "Lilya 4-Ever", where a Polish girl gets sexually exploited with no hope for a familial savior to emancipate her. For all its slick pacing and snappy action; in other words, its entertainment value, there's a distinctly unpleasant air to this whole enterprise, since "Taken" seems to be predicated on the father getting his ego back, in deference to the pain and humiliation of indentured women. His daughter's kidnapping rejuvenates him; his sac is restored to full capacity. Bryan now seems ready to f*** the horse Kim's stepfather rode on. "Taken" is a revenge fantasy against ex-wives who remarry richer, more accomplished men. Kim's mom(read:"the bitch") is punished for letting their daughter go globe-trotting in Europe.… Expand

Very good movie. The movie was a very entertaining action film mostly from start to finish. Despite the PG-13 rating, the movie has almost anything an audience could want from an action film... Guns, car-chases, fight scenes, stunts etc. Also it is refreshing to have some inadvertent humor and laughs to this moderate length film . Something nice about the film is its ability to deliver high quality action while not seeming too "barbaric" and over the top. The movie is simple yet smart and goes through an interesting yet somehow predictable plot. The film somehow reminds me of the Bourne Identity series due to the fact that most of the scenes are shot in a foreign country which in this case would be Paris. Seriously, you can think of this movie as a James Bond film after he retires, settles down, has a family and then the daughter gets kidnapped and all &!^#** breaks loose. 85/100 rating. WATCH IT!… Expand

Great movie although a little too short, leaving one longing for more.

I have no idea why the (so-called) critics have panned this movie so much, it really isn't anywhere near as bad as they're making out. You've seen it all before in various other revenge movies, but it has enough new ideas to hold interest and enough of it's own style to keep things fresh. It's a slowish start but barely worth a mention as once the action starts it's non-stop, but this is possibly also the films weakest point. Everything just seems to happen with little regard for pacing, plot direction or character building. Every move Liam Neeson takes seems to work out and give him yet another lead, you never get the feeling that the film will have anything other Hollywood ending. Along with a few cheesy moments and a bit of bad acting the main body of the film feels rushed. That said though, it's a good watch, with the girlfriend or a group of friends everyone will enjoy this. Neeson gets you behind him and you find yourself egging him on to add to the growing tally of corpses left in his wake. More deep than say Transporter, not by much though but it feels less aimed at teens. Definite one to watch.… Expand

Influenced by the Bourne films, but unlike those, fails to make sense of the way a professional would handle himself in the given situation. Neesons character dives suicidally head-first into problems which would require thinking and calculation, and instant gratification follows. You would expect more from such quality actors and writers. (The personal issue at hand can't excuse the total lack of sensible behavior. If that were the case, the movie would negate itself). If you replace Neeson with Steven Seagal, it would accentuate what this movie really is: A mediocre action-flick.… Expand

Delivered in every respect.

It was a good enjoyable movie that had great realistic action and suspense. Liam Neeson was great.

The movie starts out slow, but once Liam Neeson starts his hunt, it never slows down, and Liam Neeson, along with the rest of the cast is excellent.

It's one of those. And a mediocre one at that. The genre wears thin. Maybe 2 or 3 surprises, but if that's all it has to offer beside Liam Neeson then it's not enough for me.

This movie was amazing. Like most critics say, its a little slow at first, but once Neeson starts his hunt, it sky rockets.

The problem is people are comparing this to other revenge movies. When simply this movie is all about an endless sacrifice and the power and emotion behind this makes you realise that family is the most important thing of all. I related to this movie so much as I have a daughter and felt the real emotion. Amazingly acted and one of the best character relationships I've seen in a movie.

Don't believe these morons (critics), Taken is an overall great movie. The pacing is perfect, with never a dull moment or long, drawn out dialogue scene. Neeson is entirely believable, especially if you are familiar with the problems of human trafficking. Can't wait to get this on Blu-ray.

A good action film, worth the watch. Liam's Neeson puts in a decent performance throughout but I was let down by the weak ending.

Very good story, great action, Liam Neeson did a very good job.

Purely viseral. Belivable for the most part, no super human abilities. I do wish however hollywood would learn how actual gunfights occure rather than the taking turns shooting around corners at each other.

The movie has about 10 minutes of "drag time" at the beginning and the acting of the girl that plays the kidnapped daughter (especially when her father rescues her) has a lot to be desired, but this movie kicks serious bootie and is non-stop. This needs to be a TV series. Neeson is great as usual!

The critics are being way too critical. I thought it was a great movie and a pleasure to watch. The acting was great, storyline was exciting and pretty original. Neeson could easily be bond instead of Daniel Craig.

Best action thriller in 2008 by far.

Really a 9.5, but give it the extra 1/2 point for the pure fun of watching this guy work. Sure, it has its weaknesses: Famke plays an unattractive gold-digging, irrational shrew; Neeson is not aging well; Maggie Grace is unspectacular; but the bad guys are all well-cast and it is delightful to watch Neeson work is way through one scumbag after another. What fun to watch him take on all the Eastern European mob trash, and the misogynists on the vulgar sheik's payroll. Do shiksas and other innocent young ladies really get collected and turned out by thugs?? Probably. Do construction sites really have brothel trailers supplied by the underworld in cahoots with crooked cops?? Who knows, maybe so. Can one man turn that slave trade upside down?? Probably not. But TAKEN is clear about who the good and innocent folks are, and who the evil exploiters are, and allows the hero to clean up the entire underbelly of Paris in the process. Other than a few problems with plot, weak dialog, and poor casting, TAKEN is a fun ride. Any reviewers who have a problem with this film are not worthy of being heard, they are from some implausible PC planet.… Expand

Best action movie of 2000s. Better than bond, better than stupid giggly camera boy hero Bourne. This is just a pissed off father taking his daughter back from illegal immigrants. Rocks! I love when he personally electrocutes criminals. Liam rocks! doesn't get much better than a pissed off seal. Focused. Driven. Screw the critics. This one's a keeper.

A lot of action, but not much for excitement. Can't hold a candle to any of the "Bourne" movies, although it's shot in that style. Neeson is good, his character is invincible, and he tracks down the bad guys in unbelievable fashion. That is all to easy to be believed. A dismal movie, with plenty of action...

Saso, Dave, the Captain, Art, the Spectre, Martin, and Dustin have got it right. "Don't believe these morons (critics)"! Taken is not the kind of movie you over-analyze like critics are compelled to do. It's the kind of movie to just be enjoyed. It's good fiction and a very entertaining thriller. Liam Neeson makes a wonderful kick-ass daddy who gives the bad guys exactly what they deserve and you enjoy every minute of it.… Expand

Don't listen to these ridiculous low scores from the critics. The movie was very well shot and edited and is great for what it is... a non stop action movie. Neeson is great, the fight scenes are well done and the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Pure adrenaline. Anyone who expected anything else thinks too much and will be disappointed. A fun getaway film.

There's been so many TERRIBLE action movies released in the last year (Eagle Eye, Bangkok Dangerous, etc.). Finally there's one worth seeing. Took a simple formula, and executed it to near perfection. I've seen it 3 times already, and am willing to watch it again.

I can sum this movie up in one word: BAMFtastic. Neeson even had a BAMF card near the end of the movie. So much action and stuff... Oh, it was good.

What do we need critics for ? They gave this movie 50 out of 100 and now the movie maybe wont come to Denmark. By accident i saw it at hotel Room in England and its one of the most exciting ive ever seen. So thumbs down to critics and thumbs up to movie and look at user average before my vote. 8,2 out of 10 ? Do we have a gap ? I believe so. Watch it.

Best movie I've seen in a long time. The critics don't have very good taste to be giving a movie like this bad ratings.

This is one of the best action movies I've seen in a long time. Every once in a while you see a movie preview and know that the critics will hate it but you will love it. This was that movie. I just got home and I want to see it again already.

Exciting fast paced movie. The critics clearly panned it because they didn't approve of the politically incorrect content. Thankfully, the users are more authentic observers.

This is one of those rare instances where the critics got it all wrong. The users here nailed it - this is one of the best action movies of the year. At the screening we saw, the audience clapped at then end - how often does that happen? The critics blew it. Taken is non stop action after the sappy first 10 min (only reason for the 9 score). Better than the 2nd Bond and as good as the Bourne movies.… Expand

It's all they said and more. Liam Neeson is amazing -- is there anything he can't do?

Thought it was very fun, very interesting for an action movie. I would recommend it to those who like the Bourne movies to be sure.

A 50? Come on. This was an entertaining movie. Sure it's not perfect, but it's good. The action sequences were better than what we've got from the last Bourne/Bond films--simpler, easier to follow, not excessively cutting between cameras. While it eventually winds up with the inevitable happy/corny ending, the portions dealing with the drug addicited sex slaves were utterly repulsive and really set the tone. It didn't drag things out, it didn't overdo it with excessive dialog, and it wasn't perfect, but it wasn't bad either.… Expand

This is a tired formula but with a few high points towards the middle when Liam Neeson is working his instincts and his old CIA network to recover his daughter. Once he gets through the core baddies and is forced to literally run to catch up to his kid, the audience will more tired than him and desperate for mercifully quick ending.

This was an excellent movie. This proves that reviewers dont know what they are talking about. Once it picked you up it didnt let you down. Great story, action, and pacing. Loved how you could see Liam's desparation as the movie progressed. Movie reviewers suck so bad.

I thought this movie was excellent! I am still thinking about it and all the parts that really had me jump!!!

"Taken" is an insult to the intelligence of the viewers and the star of the movie. The action sequences are just as unbelievable as the other events in the script.

I don't know how this film got such a low score amongst critics - it's very enjoyable! Great action, a passable script and some nice set pieces (apart from the green screen in the driving sequences - it was terrible!) made this as fun as Bourne for me.

Great film, saw it months ago, what happened Meatcritic? Very late reviews. Fantastic action, as good as Bourne, far better than Bond.

I like to rate films on there content and knowing what I film I am going to see. This of course is an action film so I went in with no high expectations of plot but I found accebtable and could happen. But what made me so excited and loving every scene was the fast pace, you sit there and beg for the action scene and they do not disappoint. Only reason I did'nt give this film a ten is the ending and the sometimes corny dialogue between Liam and his daughter. Liam is a legend in this film and has got my full respect as an action hero! Excellent and fast paced film!… Expand

I don't see why the critics are hating on the movie so much. It is an action flick, but without a lot of the ridiculous action scenes like you would see in a Bond movie. I thought Neeson's character was similar to a Jason Bourne in his 40s with a kidnapped teenage daughter. I would recommend it for anyone who is a fan of the Bourne series.

Liam Neeson and