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Darth Bruce Isn't Taken With TAKEN...

Published at:  Aug 18, 2008 9:55:25 AM CDT


Merrick here...



Darth Bruce sent in this interesting look at TAKEN, directed by Pierre Morel (cinematographer on WAR, UNLEASHED, and THE TRANSPORTER) , produced by Luc Besson, and scripted by Besson & Robert Mark Kamen (THE TRANSPORTER films & THE FIFTH ELEMENT).



The film hit overseas in February I believe, and should make it to The States in September. I've been looking FWD to seeing this, but suspect Darth Bruce's criticisms may be well-founded. We'll see...



Here's Darth Bruce...

Long time reader first time writer and all that jazz, just thought I’d drop
you an ultra quick review of a film that I’ve just had the pleasure to catch, TAKEN,
penned by Luc Besson and starring the always fine Neeson.

I’ve been excited about this one for a while now, since I first saw the trailer a few
months back, and maybe that’s got something to do with my reaction to the film, high
expectations and all that, anyway, I digress, to the review

BEWARE, SPOILERS FROM HERE ON IN

For those of you who haven’t read anything about the film, TAKEN centres on an ex CIA
‘preventer’ ( LIAM NEESON) who quits the company in order to become closer to his
estranged daughter (MAGGIE GRACE), who now lives with his bitter ex-wife (FAMKE
JANSEN) and her squeaky clean, mega rich second husband (XANDER BERKELEY).

Said daughter wants to go to France for the summer with her friend Amanda and follow
U2 around the continent from gig to gig. “All the kids are doing it” Jansen tells
Neeson (all the kids in Beverly hills, obviously). “I know the world” Neeson rumbles
gruffly “its dangerous.”

Begrudgingly he signs the consent form and allows her to jet off to France, handing
her a cell phone pre programmed with his number “Call me when you get there, and
every night before you go to sleep.”

So far so good. Rich characters, all well setup.

Grace lands in France with blonde disposable-sidekick Amanda, and before you can say
ooh la la, the two are being chatted up by a Parisian hunk, who offers to go dutch on
a taxi into town. “I’m gonna have sex with him” Amanda tells Grace back at their
apartment “come on, you gotta lose it sometime”.

Oh Amanda, haven’t you seen any films but at all? Its always the promiscuous one who
bites it first.

Minutes later a posse of black clad bad guys burst into the apartment and grab the
blonde bimbo. Grace, who is on the phone to Neeson at the time panics. And this is
where Neeson’s kick ass training kicks in (although by this time we’ve already seen
him disarm a knife wielding would be pop-princess-assassin) “get under the bed and
tell me exactly what you see”.

The scene is pretty well handled, building to the moment Grace is discovered and one
of the kidnappers comes on the line with Neeson

“If its money you’re after I can tell you I don’t have it, but what I do have is a
very particular set of skills… skills that make me a nightmare for people like you… I
will find you and I will kill you”

“Good luck” the faceless kidnapper snorts before hanging up.

Great first act, leaving us on a mystery: who are the kidnappers, what do they want
and what will happen to Grace?

And then it all starts to unravel. It almost feels like the writers had this
brilliant idea for an opening act but then struggled when it came to backing it up
with a compelling story. Sex trade slaves and a CIA hardman battling it out in Europe
should make for a fantastic film, but it just falls flat, for a variety of reasons.

The most obvious to me was the lack of a main bad guy, a single nemesis who comes
into conflict with Neeson through the whole story. He’s just not in it. Oh, sure,
there are LOADS of bad guys who Neeson chop sockeys his way through in the film,
pimps, gangsters, secret service men, body guards, some weird Arabic rich guys with
curvy knives…. but they all come and go in different parts, appearing briefly into
the story before Neeson dispatches them, and it all just ends up feeling like an
excuse to see the CIA guy get his kung fu on, which is all well and fine but it just
never delivers on the promise of that first plot point.

There’s also a drugged up prostitute who Neeson rescues who I thought was going to be
a ‘character’ in it, but who is actually just there to be quickly rescued and then
disappears completely and without any explanation. One second he’s weening her off
smack in a hotel bedroom, the next she’s…. well…. I don’t know where.

I mean it could honestly have been made with Van Damme in the starring role, not that
Neeson is bad, he’s Qui Gon Jinn for gods sake, but the script never demands too much
of him, and after a while his move’s and the action become repetitive.

The other let down is the direction. The film feels just kinda cheap in places. It
was obviously shot on a modest budget and they don’t do it badly, it just lacks the
wow factor. The style is too Bourne lite, lots of handheld stuff but its very
unobtrusive to the point of it being unremarkable.

Anyway, the plot meanders as Neeson tracks his daughter and the sec traffickers
across Paris, to a posh mansion where a virgin auction is being held. By this point
I’d stopped believing, and to be frank, caring. It just didn’t sit right that the sex
traffikers would kidnap a couple of rich Beverly hills kids, it all seemed like a bit
too much trouble. “Its cheaper than paying the transportation costs [for eastern
European prostitutes]” his CIA buddy tells him when gathering intelligence.

Oh yes, the CIA buddy. When Neeson plays him a recording of the kidnapper saying good
luck, his former workmate tells him it sounds Albanian, probably from the town
treblinca from the accent.

What?

The guy said “good luck”. In English.

And you got all that from two words. Damn. How could he get all of that from two
words but seven years on they’re still trying to track down Bin Laden.

You don’t have to suspend your disbelief so much as sedate it.

Its not a bad little film, in fact it’s a pretty good B-movie, which is the problem I
guess; you can’t have a B-Movie starring Liam Neeson, he’s just too damn good for
it.

Do yourself a favour and wait for this one to come out on video.

If you use this please call me Darth Bruce









    + Expand All

    Readers Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:01:05 AM CDT

    Remember Liam in Rob Roy?

    by stereotypical evil archer

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:04:53 AM CDT

    oh qui-gon..

    by bouncy x

    that star wars robot chicken was on last night. you know if a light sabre can go through every floor of a ship so easily, luke shoulda just chucked his in the death star, it would haven eventually reached the reactor and boom, job done....with minor sacrifices.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:09:22 AM CDT

    What?

    by red_weed

    This movie just opened in australia and I saw it last night. I think the reviewer is taking it waaaay to seriously. This film was entertaining. It was fun and liam neeson is just a bad-ass. It's true, there is nothing more to the film than that, but who needs more? Some one kidnaps liam neesons daughter and he whoops their ass with awesomeness. There's a quick set up in the first act and then Bam non-stop action till the end. Sweet. They don't make plain ol good action films like this anymore, so I for one greatly appreciated it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:26:00 AM CDT

    Rob Roy was awesome!

    by charlie_allnut

    One of my favorites, its too bad Liam doesn't get more leading roles. I think its funny that the reviewer didnt think that the camera work was shaky enough like the Bourne movies! The shaky cam almost ruined the last two movies for me. I think shaky cam is a lazy shortcut for shooting action scenes. Ever since Saving Private Ryan Hollywood is obsessed with shaky cams -- enough already!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:29:06 AM CDT

    Taken was good fun

    by chuffsteruk

    Unlike Tropic Thunder.
    If you want to seek out a real gem,check out Felon,unfairly dumped straight to dvd.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:29:59 AM CDT

    darth bruce sucks

    by totefa

    Darth bruce is a moron i saw it last night.

    when grace is under the bed the albanians are speaking A LOT. Only when grace is captured the kidnapper says "good luck" pay atention to a movie before make a review in an important site.
    This is a very very entertaining movie, so darth bruce, go see the godfather instead if you want a piece of cinematic art.
    And regarding the location of a person by his way of talking or accent go se "clear and present danger" the first movie where the echelon system is shown to the general public. and where using computers you can tell where your grandmother came from.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:30:06 AM CDT

    get your review right?

    by future81

    you did watch the movie lol right?

    The guy said “good luck”. In English.

    Yes he says good luck, after his friends argue back in forth in a differnt language about where the girl is hiding. Also she screams out what they look like and identifys tattoos they have.

    I'll agree though that there didnt seem to be a main villian.

    It wasn't great but also didn't suck, id say a good three out of five.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:33:00 AM CDT

    Not bad

    by papa lazaru

    Saw this a few days ago. Have to agree with the reviewer on this one . Pretty much B-Movie fare, but enjoyable none the less .
    Once scene of pure badassery stands out though .

    **SPOILER SPOILER SPOLIER **




    to get some info from a French counterpart . Neason calmly and viciously shoots the guys innocent wife in the arm while they are sitting at the dinner table . It comes from nowhere. Great scene , pity its in such an average film .

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:45:22 AM CDT

    Mediocre, even by actual B-movies standards.

    by spencertrilby

    not even worth a rental. Once upon a time badass B-fun in theaters was named Out For Justice or Ricochet. Now it's a bland and boring retread of Man On Fire with a good actor in the lead to make believe it's a quality movie. Sad, but Liam gotta eat I suppose.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:45:23 AM CDT

    Darth Bruce is an idiot, then... TAKEN was a GREAT movie

    by shiftyeyeddog2

    I watched this a month or so ago (and it's widely available online), and it far exceeded my already high expectations. Neeson was a total bad-ass. I LOVED it! I don't know what movie this reviewer saw.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:54:28 AM CDT

    Question about the fine film Alien.....

    by connor187

    Sorry its off topic but I was just thinking to myself. How come the Nostromo even had a self destruct function? I mean it was a mining vessel yeah? So why add the option to blow it up? Bet Weyland Yutani wished they didnt after what happend eh?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:01:12 AM CDT

    right on

    by coachaaron

    i saw this last night and loved it, imagine jason bourne with a kidnapped teenage daughter. it had its problems though, you nailed a few of them.

    the cia buddy figuring out where the bad guy was from in just 2 words was ridiculous.

    another one, was maggie grace playing a 17 year old. she was just lazy casting, she's so obviously older/hotter and was very out of place in that role.

    the no bad guy thing worked for me though, it kind of showed how good neeson was at finding these people and how many of these people there are, kind of scary actually.

    it was a fun and fast as hell ride.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:13:39 AM CDT

    I was TAKEN in!

    by artaxerxes

    Excellent movie! The lack of a primary antagonist was a point in the films favour... villains you expect to escape and recur are put down in quick order.

    As to Albanian - we here a lot of shouty shouty, good luck is all he says directly into the phone. Pay attention reviewer.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:25:39 AM CDT

    Buys!

    by super rabbi

    I don't know what Darth Bruce be talking bout, this movie ruled. It's 90 minutes of Qui Gon Jinn going ape shit, what more could you ask for.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:42:21 AM CDT

    Screw this review, its kick ass.

    by harosa

    The movie never lets up once the set up happens, if youre looking for a relentless, no nonsense ballsy action film, then see this. No Transporter like set pieces, no Bourne ass shaky camerawork, everything done is simple and efficent. Yeah, so what if Neeson isn't doing Schindler's List type of acting, in the role he has he's the shit, period.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:46:14 AM CDT

    Watched this the other day and thought it was great!

    by lemming

    Honestly, I really enjoyed this. Good premise and Liam kicked arse!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:47:12 AM CDT

    "And you got all that from two words. "

    by lemming

    No he got that from all the conversation on that phonecall in Albanian up to that point you thick cunt!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:51:15 AM CDT

    whoa.

    by frankenfickle

    lot of supporters whose names i don't recognize suddenly showing up. it's a party!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:55:44 AM CDT

    ***This picture looks like dung***

    by rick flemming

    Soft, squishy dung. Melting in the sun....
    flemmingonfilms.blogspot.com

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 12:07:18 PM CDT

    I hate Luc Besson

    by mr gorilla

    Many intelligent people love THE FIFTH ELEMENT, but it seems to me camp in a bad way - you genuinely don't know whether something is being 'intentionally bad'. (Is there such a thing as camp in a 'good' way you ask? I would refer you to FLASH GORDON and STARSHIP TROOPERS)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 12:09:34 PM CDT

    It is a fun movie.

    by arkster

    Sure he never gets hurts until the end. It is a Besson film, you can't go in expecting a realistic story. The people who like The Transporter, Kiss of the Dragon watch them because they are fun.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 12:10:07 PM CDT

    And what about all that weird paedo stuff in Leon?

    by mr gorilla

    It's as if NO ONE looked at what was being filmed and thought, 'hang on, this doesn't seem right...' The scene where Natalie Portman comes on dressed as Charlie Chaplin is one of the most embarrassing in any so-called action movie.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 12:16:13 PM CDT

    About the "good luck"

    by dukrous

    I've known a couple people who are that good with pinpointing where someone is from by their accent. It's a little creepy but some people are that good when it comes to specific locales. I'm pretty sure the CIA has more than a few linguists who can tell what part of Eastern Europe someone is from.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 12:23:11 PM CDT

    I thought this movie was rather excellent myself

    by the rabbit of carrot shaped doom

    A very fun little action movie indeed.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 12:29:04 PM CDT

    frankenfickle

    by strabo

    The people criticizing the reviewer aren't plants, even though you may not recognize their names. Come to think of it, I don't recognize your name either. Taken has been available on newsgroups and bittorrent for a month at least. I would not be surprised to learn that most of the online audience has already seen it. In fact, I'd bet that's where this review came from.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 1:07:03 PM CDT

    "from two words

    by shiftyeyeddog2

  • Aug 18, 2008 1:08:30 PM CDT

    "from two words" - you are a frickin' IDIOT

    by shiftyeyeddog2

    the guy nailed their accents, etc from a LOTS of dialogue, not just "good luck". Are you that stupid? Or did you just not actually pay attention to the movie? Or do you just block out anything not in English?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 1:20:31 PM CDT

    yeah, Taken is pretty cool

    by jarek

    Neeson's fighting style is simple and effective, and he sells it very well. I enjoyed the flick a lot.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 1:28:54 PM CDT

    I saw it

    by pocketlint59

    I saw this movie and I have to mostly agree with whtat this guy said. It really felt like an excuse for liam neeson to be james bond, only without the girls. Action, Action, Action, that's all it was. Not that this isn't bad, it's not a film. It's something entertaining to watch.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 1:29:12 PM CDT

    oh, okay.

    by frankenfickle

    strabo vouches for everyone! so then i guess i am ON the BANDWAGON! this is a fun little movie. it is rather excellent. it has good action. it is better to have no main villain. i will tell my friends. i will make them all buy tickets.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 1:39:05 PM CDT

    Sorry Darth Bruce, you are WRONG

    by stuntcock mike

    Taken was gold.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 1:57:24 PM CDT

    Was this a Spielberg T.V. mini series?

    by toowhippy

  • Aug 18, 2008 2:49:48 PM CDT

    That sucks.

    by thedarklinglord

    I was really hoping this movie would be as bad-ass as the premise suggested by the trailer. Liam Neeson is just a criminally underused talent. He seems to always get these small roles, like Kingdom of Heaven and Batman Begins, and he's always so fucking great in them that you wish he had more screen time. I mean, fuck, do they need to make a Rob Roy 2 before someone gives the man another starring role with a great script that actually allows him to show why he's such a great fucking actor? And, seriously, STOP casting him as a goddamn puppet (The Phantom Menace) or just a voice (Chronicles of Narnia). I love the man, but he clearly feels disconnected from roles where he's not actually immersed in the character, the world, the moment, because he totally phones those in and it's sad to seem/hear him so completely bereft of passion for the material.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 2:49:50 PM CDT

    Darth Bruce = WRONG

    by shaneo632

    This was a solidly directed film with some pretty good turns.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 3:01:31 PM CDT

    Total balls

    by sir nigel lengthington-smythe

    The reviewer's comments, not the film. I saw this a couple of onths ago, and i'm with the majority of people here who've seen it, it's a great film, and not to be taken seriously. Neeson's excellent in it, nice to see him finally playing a tough-guy role.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 3:03:04 PM CDT

    Weird

    by psychonaut

    This would sound like the plot of a Steven Seagal film even if it wasn't. Even more weirdly, it is actually the plot of a Steven Seagal film (can't remember which one. Someone ask Vern). Is this where we've gotten to, where DTV movies by hasbeen action stars are remade with proper actors? Next week, Second in Command, starring Sir Ben Kingsley...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 3:06:56 PM CDT

    frankenfickle,

    by lemming

    have a look around the site before you shoot your mouth off implying people are plants. Just because I don't post in every talkback about every movie doesn't make me a plant. In fact, if I did that would make me an annoying spamming arsehole. Is that you?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 3:12:21 PM CDT

    Sounds sort of like Spartan

    by johnnyangel

    Which I thought was a very good movie.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 3:32:35 PM CDT

    Looking for an AICN regular...

    by gregoryharbin

    ...who liked the film? Here's one. I saw a DVD rip about a month ago, and really enjoyed it. I'll be telling all my American friends to see the film once it came out. Good, fast. Bourne-lite is right, but it has Liam Neeson, and the fights are a lot more brutal.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 4:17:45 PM CDT

    It was good action fun....

    by travis-dane

    Neeson kicks ass!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 5:07:22 PM CDT

    this film is crap

    by philskynet

    thanks to the likes of the pirate bay ive seen this and its a pile of steaming dung....and dont get me started on the mutant chronicles cos that ferkin worse

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 5:45:55 PM CDT

    I'll only watch it because of Liam Neeson....

    by thewaqman

    That guy is fucking awesome. He should narrate EVERYTHING.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 6:23:36 PM CDT

    look.

    by frankenfickle

    all i'm saying is that i wonder how much one gets paid to make up dummy accounts and shotgun an aicn talkback with wildly positive reviews, that's all. don't get so offended.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 6:37:08 PM CDT

    I've seen this film...

    by wonko

    It's out here in Australia as someone mentioned, and I'll tell you at least this much: Darth bruce seems to have missed the two kidnappers having a WHOLE CONVERSATION IN ALBANIAN before they find neesons daughter under the bed. They didn't just use "good luck" to deduce it was albanian, tardface.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 6:46:45 PM CDT

    Great movie...

    by big dummy

    ...and Liam Neeson is a fuckin' juggernaut in it. He's unstoppable. I kept thinking he's like an older more experienced Jason Bourne but with all his memories intact.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 6:50:37 PM CDT

    PLANT!

    by g0dai

    Darth Bruce is quite obviously here to just sink the movie intentionally for a rival studio. That, or he's just thick. Come on, seriously? How can you take a movie with this kind of plot and try to dissect every plot point? The aim of this movie is to provide us with Liam Neeson, over-the-hill superman with a desperate mission to save his daughter from the worst imaginable fate. He KICKS MAJOR ASS throughout the film. It's already been mentioned in this talkback, but he also crosses lines Bruce Willis could only imagine in his wildest dreams. Not the most realistic movie ever, but as far as popcorn flicks go, at least you won't walk out wondering, "why didn't he do that?" or, "why did he let that guy live?" DB has already taken hits for not remembering all the Albanian conversations at the beginning of the movie, but he also complains about the lack of a main "bad guy." Would you like it spelled out any easier for you? Did you also find Mission Impossible too confusing? Please! I have shown this to a few groups of friends and every one of them gives it a thumbs up. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. Luc Besson's best movie since The Professional.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 6:52:53 PM CDT

    Heard someone last night

    by dodgy

    I was going in to see a preview of tropic thunder last night and someone coming out of this said 'Well that was rubbish'. Tropic thunder was well funny though. I had a little difficulty understanding RDJ in places, but most of the time it was well funny. Tom Cruise was given way too much screen time. He had one hilarious scene, then the rest was meh. Everyone else worked really well. I loved Zoolander too, liked Dodgeball, but find a lot of his other stuff a bit dry. This was very good.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 6:54:43 PM CDT

    Darth Bruce is MISTAKEN

    by macgruber

    Because I have seen Taken and it is a helluva fun movie to watch. It's a great popcorn flick, certainly not the kind of film that should be dissected.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 7:16:47 PM CDT

    this film has been out for a while

    by chipps

    in oz. i'll see it soon. didn't read the review, don't want to know the spoilers

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 7:42:44 PM CDT

    frankenfickle

    by strabo

    You are quite a jackass. I didn't endorse the film, I simply confirmed that the comments I've seen in the thread do, in fact, appear to be legitimate. This wasn't an attack on your credibility, but if you'd like to take it that way, go ahead, dipshit. If you want _my_ opinion, I'll echo many other posters here by saying that the film was a decent popcorn flick. I'd very much liken it to the other action films Besson has produced. Specifically, Kiss of the Dragon, and Transporter 1 and 2. If you liked those three movies, then you'll probably enjoy Taken. It's made about as well as those three. It doesn't have Jet Li's cool fight scenes, or even Jason Statham's slightly less cool fight scenes. It doesn't have Tcheky Karyo chewing on the scenery. It doesn't have a half naked Shu Qi. It does have Liam Neeson though. And it has the shaky cam, quick-cut fight photography from Bourne. Other than that, it's no more or less complex than any of those other films. It's just fun forgettable ephemera that you won't remember for more than the afternoon.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 7:55:06 PM CDT

    HOLY SHIT!

    by wonko

    I just imdb'd this thing, and discovered....you guys in the US are getting a PG-13 version of this?? That's hilarious! No wonder darth bruce hated it. The version I saw was rated MA here in Australia, and I can tell you first hand it would translate into a hard R over there, uncut in the version I saw. Neeson was seriously fucking people up left and right, bloody squibs exploding all over the fucking place.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 7:56:57 PM CDT

    And...

    by wonko

    and if the version I saw really did get through with a PG-13 uncut...the MPAA is retarded, with dangerous implications for your society. But I guess we all knew that.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 8:38:54 PM CDT

    r-rated version on..

    by lemming

    line

    Just FYI....

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 9:21:10 PM CDT

    Exactly the kinda film I am in the mood for

    by stormwatcher

    Can't wait.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 9:26:07 PM CDT

    Looking FWD to seeing it?

    by mike-el

    I hope this bad buzz doesn't give you PAUSE.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 9:38:24 PM CDT

    saw it the other day great film kicks ass

    by skiff

    I have told people how good this movie is I liked it alot

    Reply to Talkback

  • that was a terrible review dude. neeson pulls out some nifty moves in this, and it's done well, go watch it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 10:56:41 PM CDT

    I disagree with the review...

    by fatesmith

    TAKEN is strictly a 'B'movie... and what's wrong with that? It's a tight thriller from first minute to last with no time wasted.

    Neeson's character spends the first act of the movie getting ignored and/or talked down to by his ex-wife, her rich second husband, the pop star he's bodyguarding. He's kind of embarrassed, he doesn't have it together, isn't really a part of their world. He really just wants to spend time with his daughter.

    When he saves the pop star and later when his daughter is kidnapped they (and we) see what his value is. He's the guy you want around when trouble starts.

    Now his daughter is in trouble. We see what her stepfather is good for in this situation: Nothing. He's rich, soft and the only problems he's good with are the ones that go away when you throw money at them.

    Not so with Neeson. His character has particular skills that we've heard about during the phone call. Now we get to see him put them to use.

    This is why the upposed lack of a major villain is not a problem here as this isn't that kind of story. We are dropped in the middle of the mystery with Neeson, and part of the suspense comes from watching him take the little bit of information he has; investigate, track down, and brutalize his way up the food chain to rescue his girl.

    Showing us who the bad guy is beforehand isn't important. Not only could it potentially diminish the suspense in this case, but our protagonist isn't concerned. He doesn't care who they are or what their motives might be. They're all just obstacles separating him from his daughter; merely to be dealt with. That should be obvious from the dialogue exchanged between Neeson and the guy in charge.

    In short, I thought TAKEN was fantastic. It's the type of movie Charles Bronson would have made (in the early 70's when he was still making good movies). The violence was very satisfying.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:30:33 PM CDT

    Didn't the review say that all the linguist heard

    by greyspecter

    was "Good luck" since that's all Neeson taped? It would be challenging to do THAT right? Certainly if the linguist heard all the other dialogue, it's different. On a different note, may check this out on DVD. Spartan kicks all kinds of grooviness. Give me Kilmer or give me death! Or a cocopuff. Either's good.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 18, 2008 11:39:00 PM CDT

    thanks wonko

    by eats_sandwich_gets_laid.

    for this: 'if the version I saw really did get through with a PG-13 uncut...the MPAA is retarded, with dangerous implications for your society. But I guess we all knew that.' i'm honestly more worried about our economy and ongoing wars than who gets to see blood and tits on the big screen, but hell, i'm just a dumb American.

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  • Aug 18, 2008 11:40:13 PM CDT

    As previously stated in the talkback...

    by fatesmith

    Neeson's former CIA buddy hears a whole exchange between the kidnappers. From what he heard he was able to pin down what country and region of same they were from. The linguist Neeson talks to in Paris can tell him a bit more from the same bit of information.

    It's not just two words. The kidnappers talk back and forth quite a bit while they search the room for Maggie Grace. All of this conversation is heard by Neeson and recorded on his cellphone.

    The reviewer was wrong, didn't see the movie, or the movie was drastically cut from the version EVERYON ELSE SAW.

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  • Aug 18, 2008 11:50:09 PM CDT

    Taken is awesome!

    by darthbakpao

    Pure fun action movie, ignore Darth Bruce's review and go see it

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  • Aug 19, 2008 12:36:54 AM CDT

    taken is great

    by javery56

    this review is pretty spot on i guess, the movie has a lot of problems, but there is so much fun in this film that anything bad gets overshadowed. its a pretty straight forward movie, but sometimes thats ok.

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  • Aug 19, 2008 3:20:46 AM CDT

    I saw it, too.

    by playkins

    That review was BOLLOCKS. It wasn't an academy award winner, but it wasn't trying to be. It was a revenge movie. Escapist action-suspense.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 19, 2008 3:24:23 AM CDT

    On a side note-

    by playkins

    Famke Jansen has officially gone from "hot" roles to mom roles. Bummer.

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  • Aug 19, 2008 4:31:23 AM CDT

    More like "Daft" Bruce

    by x.cel

    Sorry pal you broke the first rule of being a reviewer, you are supposed to say what you didn't or did like not offer directing tips, it is not your place.

    As for lack of a central bad guy wouldn't that have made it even more cliched, in the real World there is no such thing as a central bad guy, just bad people doing bad things,

    As for your silly comments about the "good luck" phone call, I think enough has been said on that, so I wont rub it in any further.

    As for what i thought of the film, I really enjoyed it, except for what I thought was a wooden and cliched beginning, I found it unfolded into quite a Neat action thriller.

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  • Aug 19, 2008 5:18:33 AM CDT

    If you need ONE reason to see this..

    by lemming

    see it because it aired in France a while ago first, and they were outraged because it portrayed their law enforcement as either corrupt or inept. Freedom Toast anyone? :)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 19, 2008 5:25:52 AM CDT

    Take was great!

    by joergn

    Sure it was pretty much a B-movie, but it was fun! It was like a trip back to the time, when you watched a Schwarzenegger or Stallone-movie on the big screen and don´t needed to be ashamed of it or felt the need to apologize to the superserious, hardcore cineasts.

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  • Aug 19, 2008 5:29:47 AM CDT

    Oops, I meant "Taken" ;)

    by joergn

  • Aug 19, 2008 5:48:43 AM CDT

    Follow U2? "All the kids are doing it?"

    by bill brasky

    Yeah, right. I think the scriptwriter for this piece of trash needs to take a reality check. Kids these days don't listen to quality rock and roll; they listen to Rhianna and 'insert idiotic gangster nick name' and other shit that isn't worth the silicone that their CDs are printed on. U2? Almost 30 years of purpose driven, heart felt harmony. Youth today? They couldn't care less.

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  • Aug 19, 2008 8:08:17 AM CDT

    Memories

    by bill brasky

    I hope that you are right my friend. I guess that this is just another 'Michael Moore' example, illustrating how stupid we Americans are. I have been to every show (locally) since 1987 and each year the crowd gets older and older.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 19, 2008 12:56:23 PM CDT

    Bill Brasky: Don't blame the kids

    by playkins

    Blame the record companies and media conglomerates that have given the kids no other choice. They can't even rebel anymore. When I was a youngin, you used to have to WORK to look punk. Now you can walk into "Hot Topic" for all your punk-accessory needs. It's sad.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Aug 20, 2008 4:03:26 PM CDT

    Old Punks

    by psychonaut

    Welcome to Grumbly Old Men Talkback. Today we'll be discussing why all new music is rubbish and why kids today aren't as good as we were when we were kids. Plus, an exciting demonstration of new arthritis ointments.

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  • Aug 21, 2008 1:05:39 AM CDT

    Eats_sandwich_gets_laid

    by wonko

    Firstly, I never called americans dumb. Just your ratings system. And more to the point, if you wanna take your children to see a movie that features a guy being fried to death in a home made electric chair, and about 30 people being shot and stabbed to death with blood prominently on display, and which more-than-suggests the abduction, drugging, and rape of various underage girls, then by all means be my guest. I just personally think such a film should not be PG-13. And as to your other comment.... what any of this has to do with your economy or the ongoing war is beyond me.

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