Thursday, October 23, 2008

Taken: A promotional movie from the French Tourist Board

When you watch Taken, you're seeing one of the greatest negative advertisements for Paris you'll ever witness; And obviously I'm OK with that. But you must stare at disbelief throughout knowing (if you bothered to read the opening credits) that this was written by Frenchmen Luc Besson and directed by Pierre Morel, the team that created District B13 - which come to think of it wasn't a glowing interpretation of near future Paris as I recall?

The plot is exceedingly simple but it works - Ex-CIA Secret Agent Bryan (Liam Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace Neeson)'s daughter Kim (Maggie Lost Grace) is kidnapped while on a trip to Paris and is sold in the slave trade. Bryan goes to Paris in search of Kim and kills almost everyone he meets, usually loud and always brutally. This is because everyone in Paris is evil, is somehow involved and must pay. Not since the Charles Bronson Death Wish movies have I seen a one-man-army simply walk in, kill people and walk out. Even Jack Bauer has paused in silent contemplation before killing someone in revenge, but not Bryan. It's a one man war on Paris. And I loved every moment of it.

The only bad thing I could really say about this film (and it stole a star from it's rating) was Maggie Grace's acting. The character Kim is 17 for Lucas' sake, Grace was 24 when filming. Even the most spoilt rotten 17YO Daddy's Girls don't act like they're 12. So why did she play Kim as a 12 year old, constantly messing and grinning like an idiot and running everywhere in a giggling frenzy? Very distracting from the rest of the movie but thankfully for only the first 20 minutes or so. There is a certain satisfaction believing that after the movie ends the character is severely emotionally traumatised after her ordeal and will need years of counselling thus giving her parents a much needed break.

Final Verdict: I was surprised how much I enjoyed a simple little film created by Frenchies, but then Neeson is always good on screen. Thank Lucas they didn't give him stupid one-liners. He's more Bourne than Bond here. Now stay away from Paris.

Colonel Creedon Rating: ****

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Paris?, I remember Paris, I was trapped in a church during the St.Dennis riots.

Lieutenant General Creedon said...

I know! He he! That's why we had those youths electrocu.... Ahem! Shame about the weather forecast this weekend eh?

Anonymous said...

I see the French are still sour and whinging about their military history

Anonymous said...

Lt.Col, I was particularly impressed by the escort you arranged for us out of the danger zone.