Any movie with Liam Neeson already has an advantage in my book. So, when I first got the screener for his new film Taken, I watched it right away.  The United States is a year behind, as the movie has already been released over seas, but American audiences will get to see the movie at the end of January.

Neeson plays Bryan, a father who has quit a high paying job with the government to be closer to his daughter Kim who now lives with his ex-wife and her new rich husband.  After turning 17, Kim travels to Europe with her friend Amanda and follow U2’s Tour. The girls end up getting kidnapped and sold into a sex slave trade. Bryan must travel to France to save his daughter, and if he doesn’t find her in 96 hours, she will be gone forever.

One reviewer said this is the best action film he’s seen since the Bourne Supremacy. I agree with his conclusion whole heartedly. You immediately like Bryan feel bad for him. He’s a dad who loves his daughter and just wants her to be safe. So when the unthinkable happens, you know he’s going to do whatever it takes to get her back.

Towards the end of the film, when the action is most intense I did appreciate the fact that yes, Bryan can get hurt. Some times in action movies like this, it’s hard to believe when the protagonist develops super hero powers of never getting shot or injured. When he jumps on to a boat from a road above, you can see he hurt his leg from the fall. He didn’t just bounce up and start killing bad guys.

The movie is a perfect length of an hour and half long. It never drags and has the fast pace action feel of an episode of 24. I would love to see a couple more movies about Bryan (we never learn his last name). Maybe some prequels of his time working for the CIA, and all of the missions he had to go on.

Verdict: Buy the DVD