Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here. I’m really curious about this one. Dug the trailer. Love Liam Neeson. And I think Luc Besson as a thriller/action producer is just plain great fun. And DISTRICT B13 was wicked, and this is the same director. So will this one be any good?
Hi if you use this you can call me chandleyr. Basically I’m French so if there is some mistakes in this text you could blame it on me being just another French guy who try too hard too speak English. So let’s talk about the real deal. I just came back from an advance screenings of the new production of Luc Besson. It’s called TAKEN with Liam neesson in the lead. This is the second movie of Pierre Morel, the director of a movie called B13 ( banlieue 13 in france ). I’m not gonna lie I think that b13 was a mixed bag. Full of good ideas, good direction but a bunch of really bad actors in the lead. They have all they need as sportsman but not as an actor. Does the second movie of Pierre Morel follow the same formula? I’m not gonna lie HELL NO! This time Pierre morel has a lot of winning cards in his hand. First a good scripts ( yes it’s a basic one but it works) One hell of an actor That’s the freakin Darkman damn it! And also a pretty good demonstration of a simple fact Pierre Morel has a lot of talents and knows how to demonstrate it on screen. What’s the story of TAKEN. Basically Liam Neeson is an ancient “black ops” (it’s never clear) and he has quit his job in order to get closer of his teenager daughter played by Maggie Grace from Lost. His daughter ask him if she can go to paris with a girlfriend , he refuse and finally accept. She goes to Paris and get kidnapped with her girlfriend by the Serbian mafia who want to sell her as a sex slave to the highest bidder. Basically this part of the story took almost the first 20 minutes and right from the moment where Neeson hang up the phone after the “live kidnapping” ( you will understand when you see it- but I think the trailer show that scene) all hell break loose. If you want to compare TAKEN to a 80s movie the only one I see is “Commando” yeap. I know it could be hard to picture Neeson as a Schwarzennegger but trust me it works. His character is basically the angel of death, he has only one mission get his daughter back home in one piece. Which lead to a simple fact, you give him the answer he need and it will buy you some time before you die, you don’t give him that answer ok, he will torture you first and let you die anyway ( the torture sequence with the electricity…) . Nothing prepare you to the violence Neeson is about too unleashed in the middle of Paris. The movie has none of the gory violence of a movie like commando, but the violence is far more visceral. There’s a torture scene in the middle of the movie with electricity that made the entire room of spectators goes crazy. The really good thing is that you can relate to the character of Neeson, he’s not a 2d character you care about him and his quest. Which is a good way too make sure you tolerate all his excess. Basically it’s a good things that is character has substance because all the others actors in the movie fall in 2 cases: play figuration or get slashed, burn, electrify, shot in the head, shot in the mouth, crush by a car, get his throat slashed… and I can continue all night. TAKEN is like a old 80 movie with a good amount of violence ( pretty graphic but not shocking) an amazing character in the lead and a good director behind the camera. The only thing you could hope is that like the Transporter, TAKEN will get his sequel cause the character of Neeson really deserve it. TAKEN is not a possible oscar nominated movie ( but that was never intended) but a really cool B movie that don’t loose times on useless moments and give you what you want. A good time. All in all a pleaseant surprise I wasn’t expecting. Besson and Neeson were present with the director in the room and the least I can say is the Darkman is an amazing actor and a man in real life with charisma and humility. Basically a great actor in front of the camera and a really nice guy off camera. I don’t know when it will go theatrical in your country but it deserve a watch if you got the chance. Chandleyr from the saturdaygeekfeever
