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Taken

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Taken (2009)

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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.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language.

Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

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... 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 daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). Bryan's government work kept him away from Kim for much of her childhood, and he's now trying to make up for lost time. When Kim announces that she's taking a trip to Paris with her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy), Bryan is apprehensive about her traveling on her own. His worst fear is soon realized, as Kim and Amanda are abducted upon their arrival in France. Bryan immediately springs into action, using his well-honed CIA skills to piece together clues from a single, frantic phone call he received from Kim. He hops a plane to Paris, determined to rescue his daughter before she falls off the grid completely. With some help from his old CIA buddies, he tracks down the kidnappers--an Albanian crime ring known for selling young girls into the sex trade. He quickly takes matters into his own hands, plowing his way through Paris's underworld as the clock ticks down and the bullets fly. His search propels him into the upper echelons of a massive crime ring, putting him closer and closer to his beloved daughter. Neeson is known for tackling extremely cerebral roles, so it is interesting to see him in full-on action-hero mode. In TAKEN he is no less than a crime-fighting machine--a Bourne/Bond hybrid with a deathly serious baritone. And while he spends most of the film firing Uzis and snapping necks, he still manages to deliver a moving performance as an estranged father fighting for what he loves most in the world. The film undeniably owes a lot to Neeson's acting chops. He manages to raise this rather thinly plotted, deeply violent film a bar above your typical action fare. [More]

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley, Leland Orser, Jon Gries, David Warshofsky, Katie Cassidy, Holly Valance, Nathan Rippy

Director: Pierre Morel

Director: Pierre Morel
Screenwriter: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Producer: Luc Besson
Composer: Nathaniel Mechaly
Studio: 20th Century Fox

[See More Credits]

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Release:

May 12, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Prepare to get Taken for the ride of your life! “Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force” (Premiere) in this action-packed international thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. When his estranged teenage daughter (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped in Paris, a former spy (Neeson) sets out to find her at any cost. Relying on his special skills, he tracks down the ruthless gang that abducted her and launches a one-man war to bring them to justice and rescue his daughter.
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    Reviews for Taken

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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    Taken is a fast-paced, high-octane action movie that ... doesn't take very many detours into soul-searching melancholy.

    Full Review Source: Washington Times | comment Comment
    08/30/09
    Sonny Bunch
    Sonny Bunch
    Washington Times

    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.

    Full Review Source: BET.com | comment Comment
    06/10/09
    Clay Cane
    Clay Cane
    BET.com

    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.

    Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
    06/01/09
    Brian Webster
    Brian Webster
    Apollo Guide

    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.

    Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | comment Comment
    05/12/09
    Kam Williams
    Kam Williams
    NewsBlaze

    The action is engaging but rarely exciting; the drama heftier but still far from convincing.

    Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment 2 Comments
    05/11/09
    Chris Cabin
    Chris Cabin
    Filmcritic.com

    In a lesser actor's hands, the powerful impact of the subject matter would not have been so ably delivered.

    Full Review Source: MovieWeb | comment 1 Comment
    04/02/09
    Julian Roman
    Julian Roman
    MovieWeb

    The script is more hard-hitting and realistic than [Besson's] Transporter films, which means youll only laugh out loud two or three times.

    Full Review Source: Salt Lake Tribune | comment Comment
    03/23/09
    Sean Means
    Sean Means
    Salt Lake Tribune

    Taken is the best action thriller of 2009 thus far.

    Full Review Source: Entertainment Spectrum | comment 1 Comment
    03/22/09
    Jolene Mendez
    Jolene Mendez
    Entertainment Spectrum

    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."

    Full Review Source: Entertainment Spectrum | comment Comment
    03/20/09
    Keith Cohen
    Keith Cohen
    Entertainment Spectrum

    A morally specious but undeniably efficient brainstem-tickler -- the most effective action/revenge thriller in years.

    Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
    03/06/09
    John Beifuss
    John Beifuss
    Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

    Neeson delivers a typically compelling performance in (for him) an atypically muscle-bound role.

    Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
    03/03/09
    Matt Brunson
    Matt Brunson
    Creative Loafing

    Fortunately, somewhat-sloppy storytelling never gets in the way of this briskly paced action adventure.

    Full Review Source: Sean the Movie Guy | comment Comment
    03/01/09
    Sean McBride
    Sean McBride
    Sean the Movie Guy

    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.

    Full Review Source: Miss FlickChick | comment Comment
    03/01/09
    Maitland McDonagh
    Maitland McDonagh
    Miss FlickChick

    This is a Neeson driven story and he doesn't disappoint for anyone who likes him or a good adventure/thriller.

    Full Review Source: ReviewExpress.com | comment Comment
    02/27/09
    Diana Saenger
    Diana Saenger
    ReviewExpress.com

    Was Liam Neeson looking for a script with lousier dialogue than "The Phantom Menace"?

    Full Review Source: Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) | comment 4 Comments
    02/21/09
    Jeffrey Westhoff
    Jeffrey Westhoff
    Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

    Neeson is a major reason Taken, a riveting, revenge thriller gets praiseworthy marks.

    Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
    02/19/09
    Bruce Bennett
    Bruce Bennett
    Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

    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.

    Full Review Source: Kinetofilm | comment Comment
    02/19/09
    Brian Holcomb
    Brian Holcomb
    Kinetofilm

    Single-minded and suitably rough around the edges.

    Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness | comment Comment
    02/17/09
    Nick Schager
    Nick Schager
    Lessons of Darkness

    Taken feels like an '80s action movie ... albeit a good one with a hero who fights with the ferocity of a dozen men.

    Full Review Source: What Would Toto Watch? | comment Comment
    02/16/09
    Christian Toto
    Christian Toto
    What Would Toto Watch?

    Though plagued with the dumbest villains ever to grace the screen, Neeson shines...

    Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
    02/15/09
    Felix Vasquez Jr.
    Felix Vasquez Jr.
    Cinema Crazed
     
     
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    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 Opens in new window
    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...

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    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...

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