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Darth Bruce Isn't Taken With TAKEN...

Remember Liam in Rob Roy? by Stereotypical Evil Archer	Aug 18th, 2008 10:01:05 AM

oh qui-gon.. by Bouncy X	Aug 18th, 2008 10:04:53 AM
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.
What? by red_weed	Aug 18th, 2008 10:09:22 AM
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.
Rob Roy was awesome! by Charlie_Allnut	Aug 18th, 2008 10:26:00 AM
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!
Taken was good fun by chuffsterUK	Aug 18th, 2008 10:29:06 AM
Unlike Tropic Thunder. If you want to seek out a real gem,check out Felon,unfairly dumped straight to dvd.
darth bruce sucks by TOTEFA	Aug 18th, 2008 10:29:59 AM
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.
get your review right? by Future81	Aug 18th, 2008 10:30:06 AM
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.
Not bad by Papa Lazaru	Aug 18th, 2008 10:33:00 AM
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 .
Mediocre, even by actual B-movies standards. by SpencerTrilby	Aug 18th, 2008 10:45:22 AM
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.
Darth Bruce is an idiot, then... TAKEN was a GREAT movie by ShiftyEyedDog2	Aug 18th, 2008 10:45:23 AM
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.
Question about the fine film Alien..... by connor187	Aug 18th, 2008 10:54:28 AM
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?
right on by coachaaron	Aug 18th, 2008 11:01:12 AM
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.
I was TAKEN in! by artaxerxes	Aug 18th, 2008 11:13:39 AM
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.
Buys! by Super Rabbi	Aug 18th, 2008 11:25:39 AM
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.
Screw this review, its kick ass. by harosa	Aug 18th, 2008 11:42:21 AM
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.
whoa. by frankenfickle	Aug 18th, 2008 11:51:15 AM
lot of supporters whose names i don't recognize suddenly showing up. it's a party!
*This picture looks like dung* by Rick Flemming	Aug 18th, 2008 11:55:44 AM
Soft, squishy dung. Melting in the sun.... flemmingonfilms.blogspot.com
I hate Luc Besson by Mr Gorilla	Aug 18th, 2008 12:07:18 PM
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)
It is a fun movie. by Arkster	Aug 18th, 2008 12:09:34 PM
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.
And what about all that weird paedo stuff in Leon? by Mr Gorilla	Aug 18th, 2008 12:10:07 PM
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.
About the "good luck" by dukrous	Aug 18th, 2008 12:16:13 PM
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.
I thought this movie was rather excellent myself by The Rabbit Of Carrot Shaped Doom	Aug 18th, 2008 12:23:11 PM
A very fun little action movie indeed.
frankenfickle by Strabo	Aug 18th, 2008 12:29:04 PM
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.
"from two words by ShiftyEyedDog2	Aug 18th, 2008 01:07:03 PM

"from two words" - you are a frickin' IDIOT by ShiftyEyedDog2	Aug 18th, 2008 01:08:30 PM
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?
yeah, Taken is pretty cool by Jarek	Aug 18th, 2008 01:20:31 PM
Neeson's fighting style is simple and effective, and he sells it very well. I enjoyed the flick a lot.
I saw it by pocketlint59	Aug 18th, 2008 01:28:54 PM
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.
oh, okay. by frankenfickle	Aug 18th, 2008 01:29:12 PM
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.
Sorry Darth Bruce, you are WRONG by Stuntcock Mike	Aug 18th, 2008 01:39:05 PM
Taken was gold.
Was this a Spielberg T.V. mini series? by TooWhippy	Aug 18th, 2008 01:57:24 PM

That sucks. by thedarklinglord	Aug 18th, 2008 02:49:48 PM
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.
Darth Bruce = WRONG by shaneo632	Aug 18th, 2008 02:49:50 PM
This was a solidly directed film with some pretty good turns.
Total balls by Sir Nigel Lengthington-Smythe	Aug 18th, 2008 03:01:31 PM
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.
Weird by Psychonaut	Aug 18th, 2008 03:03:04 PM
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...
Sounds sort of like Spartan by johnnyangel	Aug 18th, 2008 03:12:21 PM
Which I thought was a very good movie.
Looking for an AICN regular... by GregoryHarbin	Aug 18th, 2008 03:32:35 PM
...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.
It was good action fun.... by travis-dane	Aug 18th, 2008 04:17:45 PM
Neeson kicks ass!
this film is crap by philskynet	Aug 18th, 2008 05:07:22 PM
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
I'll only watch it because of Liam Neeson.... by TheWaqman	Aug 18th, 2008 05:45:55 PM
That guy is fucking awesome. He should narrate EVERYTHING.
look. by frankenfickle	Aug 18th, 2008 06:23:36 PM
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.
I've seen this film... by Wonko	Aug 18th, 2008 06:37:08 PM
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.
Great movie... by Big Dummy	Aug 18th, 2008 06:46:45 PM
...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.
PLANT! by g0dai	Aug 18th, 2008 06:50:37 PM
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.
Heard someone last night by Dodgy	Aug 18th, 2008 06:52:53 PM
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.
Darth Bruce is MISTAKEN by MacGruber	Aug 18th, 2008 06:54:43 PM
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.
this film has been out for a while by chipps	Aug 18th, 2008 07:16:47 PM
in oz. i'll see it soon. didn't read the review, don't want to know the spoilers
frankenfickle by Strabo	Aug 18th, 2008 07:42:44 PM
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.
HOLY SHIT! by Wonko	Aug 18th, 2008 07:55:06 PM
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.
And... by Wonko	Aug 18th, 2008 07:56:57 PM
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.
Exactly the kinda film I am in the mood for by Stormwatcher	Aug 18th, 2008 09:21:10 PM
Can't wait.
Looking FWD to seeing it? by Mike-El	Aug 18th, 2008 09:26:07 PM
I hope this bad buzz doesn't give you PAUSE.
saw it the other day great film kicks ass by skiff	Aug 18th, 2008 09:38:24 PM
I have told people how good this movie is I liked it alot
it's like bourne with less of a plot..which is still AWESOME by couP	Aug 18th, 2008 10:06:03 PM
that was a terrible review dude. neeson pulls out some nifty moves in this, and it's done well, go watch it.
I disagree with the review... by Fatesmith	Aug 18th, 2008 10:56:41 PM
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.
Didn't the review say that all the linguist heard by greyspecter	Aug 18th, 2008 11:30:33 PM
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.
thanks wonko by Eats_sandwich_gets_laid.	Aug 18th, 2008 11:39:00 PM
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.
As previously stated in the talkback... by Fatesmith	Aug 18th, 2008 11:40:13 PM
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.
Taken is awesome! by DarthBakpao	Aug 18th, 2008 11:50:09 PM
Pure fun action movie, ignore Darth Bruce's review and go see it
taken is great by javery56	Aug 19th, 2008 12:36:54 AM
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.
I saw it, too. by Playkins	Aug 19th, 2008 03:20:46 AM
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.
On a side note- by Playkins	Aug 19th, 2008 03:24:23 AM
Famke Jansen has officially gone from "hot" roles to mom roles. Bummer.
More like "Daft" Bruce by X.Cel	Aug 19th, 2008 04:31:23 AM
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.
Take was great! by joergn	Aug 19th, 2008 05:25:52 AM
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.
Oops, I meant "Taken" ;) by joergn	Aug 19th, 2008 05:29:47 AM

Follow U2? "All the kids are doing it?" by Bill Brasky	Aug 19th, 2008 05:48:43 AM
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.
Memories by Bill Brasky	Aug 19th, 2008 08:08:17 AM
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.
Bill Brasky: Don't blame the kids by Playkins	Aug 19th, 2008 12:56:23 PM
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.
Old Punks by Psychonaut	Aug 20th, 2008 04:03:26 PM
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.
Eats_sandwich_gets_laid by Wonko	Aug 21st, 2008 01:05:39 AM
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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