Taken (2008) Dir: Pierre Morel
Instagram post:
Everybody knows this film. Even if they haven't seen it, they know it. Even if they don't know the story, they know the film's most iconic scene. After all, it rejuvenated Liam Neeson's career and made him an unlikely action star.
Directed by Pierre Morel, this is one of those films I've wanted to watch for a while, admittedly for that one scene that everyone knows. But, as it transpired, I was treated to a fair amount more than one good scene. The set up is simple, the story has a pretty direct route from point A to B, but it does all this pretty damn well.
The action sequences are decent, but not anything special. Fast cuts and shaky camerawork perhaps save some of the blushes of the then 55 year-old Neeson, and allow him to look pretty badass, all things considered.
Liam Neeson proves to be a worthy protagonist. He uses his powerful screen presence and stern voice to nail some really cool moments. Even at his age, he makes the action scenes look pretty good and he feels like a believable character.
There were also some notable supporting performances from the likes of Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Famke Janssen and Olivier Rabourdin. I particularly enjoyed what Janssen provided in what was a fairly minor role.
Overall, this is actually a really enjoyable action film. It provides plenty of intense dialogue, some thrilling action sequences and some pretty high stakes for audiences to invest in. For a ninety-minute crime thriller, I'd say it's well worth the watch.
Comments