It's got all the attributes of a guilty pleasure - excitement, some undeniably enjoyable scenes and the absence of what it needs to be more memorable and more substantial.
Comment
06/01/09
Taken (2009)
57
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:159
Fresh:91
Rotten:68
Average Rating:5.7/10
Consensus: Taken is undeniably fun with slick action, but is largely a brainless exercise.
Theatrical Release:26-09-2008
Synopsis: Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force in this adrenaline-fueled thriller from director Pierre Morel. Bryan (Neeson) has taken early retirement from the CIA in order to live closer to his teenage... [More]
Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley
Director: Pierre Morel
Reviews for Taken
This heart-stopping revenge flick written by Luc Besson is easily Liam Neeson's most memorable performance since his Oscar-nominated outing in Schindler's List.
05/12/09
The action is engaging but rarely exciting; the drama heftier but still far from convincing.
05/11/09
In a lesser actor's hands, the powerful impact of the subject matter would not have been so ably delivered.
04/02/09
The script is more hard-hitting and realistic than [Besson's] Transporter films, which means youll only laugh out loud two or three times.
03/23/09
Taken is the best action thriller of 2009 thus far.
03/22/09
This briskly paced movie delivers a full payload of action and leaves you mentally exhausted. You immediately recall the famous line from "The Wizard of Oz" that "There is no place like home."
03/20/09
A morally specious but undeniably efficient brainstem-tickler -- the most effective action/revenge thriller in years.
03/06/09
Neeson delivers a typically compelling performance in (for him) an atypically muscle-bound role.
03/03/09
Fortunately, somewhat-sloppy storytelling never gets in the way of this briskly paced action adventure.
03/01/09
A bizarre mix of sentimentality and bone-cracking violence, this Hardcore/Not Without My Daughter hybrid pits a determined father against the thuggish Albanian sex traffickers who kidnapped daddy's little girl as she vacationed in Paris.
03/01/09
This is a Neeson driven story and he doesn't disappoint for anyone who likes him or a good adventure/thriller.
02/27/09
Was Liam Neeson looking for a script with lousier dialogue than "The Phantom Menace"?
02/21/09
Neeson is a major reason Taken, a riveting, revenge thriller gets praiseworthy marks.
02/19/09
This is not a movie about moral dilemmas-it's about a father who will rip out your eyeballs if you don't give him his daughter back.
02/19/09
Single-minded and suitably rough around the edges.
02/17/09
Taken feels like an '80s action movie ... albeit a good one with a hero who fights with the ferocity of a dozen men.
02/16/09
Though plagued with the dumbest villains ever to grace the screen, Neeson shines...
02/15/09
At virtually every turn the film feels like it's pulling punches and not delving into the potentially dangerous visual terrain its story and its attendant emotions are screaming for
02/14/09
Trust me. You must skip the first 20 minutes, and it would be a good idea to leave 10 minutes early as well. Then you've seen a great, intense action flick.
02/14/09
Latest News for Taken
May 11, 2009:
RT on DVD: Taken Exclusive; Underworld 3, Trek Blu-ray Set!
This week on DVD, Liam Neeson (you know, the veteran Irish actor who your grandmother thinks looks nice) opens a can of whoop ass on unsuspecting kidnappers, much to our delight... More...
March 12, 2009:
Kamen, Besson Ready to Get Taken Again 
After years spent in Hollywood's creative wilderness, "Taken" screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen is right where he wants to be: partnered with Luc Besson, responsible for a string... More...
March 08, 2009:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Watchmen Scores $55.7 Million Opening
The adult-themed superhero film Watchmen seized control of the North American box office posting the biggest debut of the year with an estimated $55.7M in ticket sales over the... More...
February 08, 2009:
Trailer & Poster review
More...
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