Taken is a fast-paced, high-octane action movie that ... doesn't take very many detours into soul-searching melancholy.
Comment
08/30/09
Taken (2009)
57
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:159
Fresh:91
Rotten:68
Average Rating:5.7/10
Consensus: Taken is undeniably fun with slick action, but is largely a brainless exercise.
Theatrical Release:Jan 30, 2009 Wide
Box Office: $144,924,285
Synopsis: Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force in this adrenaline-fueled thriller from director Pierre Morel. Bryan (Neeson) has taken early retirement from the CIA in order to live closer to his teenage... [More]
Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley
Director: Pierre Morel
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Reviews for Taken
I liked it, but don't expect the unexpected in this French action thriller -- especially in an ending that is about as predictable as a Pine Sol commercial.
06/10/09
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.
06/01/09
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.
05/12/09
The action is engaging but rarely exciting; the drama heftier but still far from convincing.
05/11/09
In a lesser actor's hands, the powerful impact of the subject matter would not have been so ably delivered.
04/02/09
The script is more hard-hitting and realistic than [Besson's] Transporter films, which means youll only laugh out loud two or three times.
03/23/09
Taken is the best action thriller of 2009 thus far.
03/22/09
This briskly paced movie delivers a full payload of action and leaves you mentally exhausted. You immediately recall the famous line from "The Wizard of Oz" that "There is no place like home."
03/20/09
A morally specious but undeniably efficient brainstem-tickler -- the most effective action/revenge thriller in years.
03/06/09
Neeson delivers a typically compelling performance in (for him) an atypically muscle-bound role.
03/03/09
Fortunately, somewhat-sloppy storytelling never gets in the way of this briskly paced action adventure.
03/01/09
A bizarre mix of sentimentality and bone-cracking violence, this Hardcore/Not Without My Daughter hybrid pits a determined father against the thuggish Albanian sex traffickers who kidnapped daddy's little girl as she vacationed in Paris.
03/01/09
This is a Neeson driven story and he doesn't disappoint for anyone who likes him or a good adventure/thriller.
02/27/09
Was Liam Neeson looking for a script with lousier dialogue than "The Phantom Menace"?
02/21/09
Neeson is a major reason Taken, a riveting, revenge thriller gets praiseworthy marks.
02/19/09
This is not a movie about moral dilemmas-it's about a father who will rip out your eyeballs if you don't give him his daughter back.
02/19/09
Single-minded and suitably rough around the edges.
02/17/09
Taken feels like an '80s action movie ... albeit a good one with a hero who fights with the ferocity of a dozen men.
02/16/09
Though plagued with the dumbest villains ever to grace the screen, Neeson shines...
02/15/09
Latest News for Taken
May 11, 2009:
RT on DVD: Taken Exclusive; Underworld 3, Trek Blu-ray Set!
This week on DVD, Liam Neeson (you know, the veteran Irish actor who your grandmother thinks looks nice) opens a can of whoop ass on unsuspecting kidnappers, much to our delight... More...
March 12, 2009:
Kamen, Besson Ready to Get Taken Again 
After years spent in Hollywood's creative wilderness, "Taken" screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen is right where he wants to be: partnered with Luc Besson, responsible for a string... More...
March 08, 2009:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Watchmen Scores $55.7 Million Opening
The adult-themed superhero film Watchmen seized control of the North American box office posting the biggest debut of the year with an estimated $55.7M in ticket sales over the... More...
February 08, 2009:
Trailer & Poster review
More...
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
Star Trek DVD Exclusive
TECHLAND gives us a first look at the extras, including Leonard Nimoy's last day on set!
The New Cult Canon
AV Club looks at a beloved cult classic, Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness.
New Moon Portraits
TIME offers us a closer look at the characters from the latest Twilight film.
Unsexiest Men Alive
Moviefone lists their choices for the least attractive men in Hollywood.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
IGN RSS Feeds