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Taken

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is a retired spy, though he doesn’t admit that to his estranged 17 year old daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace).  Bryan wants to repair their relationship, and he has moved to Los Angeles just to be near her. 

He reluctantly agrees to sign the approval document, handed over by his ex-wife (played by Famke Janssen), to allow Kim to travel to Europe for an extended summer vacation.  

Kim promises to keep in contact with her father on an international cell phone that he gives her, with his number programmed in. When Bryan finally reaches Kim at the Paris apartment where she and her friend are staying, he realizes that his fear is warranted.  

Kim witnesses her friend being kidnapped, and they’re coming for her next. Bryan quickly tells Kim what will likely happen, and tells her to leave the phone on, so he can gather clues to track down the culprits. These guys are into selling young women into the sex trade.   

Soon Bryan is in Paris hot on the trail of the abductors. He follows his clues, uses his intuition, and has more than a little luck getting into a nest of bad guys. Torture and revenge are his tools of the trade to elicit information. Throughout the film there is the sweet satisfaction that the bad guys get what they deserve. This may be one reason why the film exhibits the appeal of a James Bond action flick, with a plot that makes enough sense to appeal to everyday people.  

The upscale glitter of Paris slips away to reveal an immoral underbelly, and gives the film an edge that maintains your interest. The clash between the visual and the emotional is a story unto itself. You know that it’s impossible for Bryan to pull off all the near misses and heroics   that he does, and survive, but you’re with him all the way.  

The movie captures the essence of how ordinary folk would like to deal with scumbags…revenge, and more revenge. That makes it a crowd pleaser. Taken knows just what to do to take you in.