Good Luck...

Taken is not at ALL how I expected it to be. From the television trailers, I saw a thriller about an old man going after his kidnapped daughter. From the cinema trailer, I saw a little bit more action than I expected. From the film itself, I saw a brutal and non-stop action film.

The first half an hour introduces you to Liam Neeson's character, Bryan, who is an ex-CIA 'preventer'. Basically he was a security guard, who prevents disasters and gang wars etc. He is highly skilled in martial arts and torture tactics, but a very paranoid man. He fears his daughter doesn't love him as much as she loves her step father. When she goes travelling to Europe, she is kidnapped and Bryan swears he will go after the kidnappers. Using his CIA connections, he tracks down the gang that did it and travels to Paris. There begins the brutality.

Thinking back I really should have expected the action. Liam Neeson has done some banging action in his time, namely Batman Begins. The film is also written and produced by Luc Besson, who has stepped away from intriguing character pieces and into the shameless action genre about 10 years ago.

But the AMOUNT of action is phenomenal. It's also backed by a really gruesome and intriguing story about human trafficking in Eastern Europe. If you don't watch Channel 4 documentaries you won't know much about this, and it's a disturbing realilty that this happens. Bryan is an intelligent man who knows precisely how to crack the system of both the gangs and the police, with whom he has connections. Some of his actions are ruthless, torturous and not would you'd expect from Kinsey. He's like Jason Bourne's dad.

If you enjoy The Transporter movies for shameless action, and like the Bourne movies for his spy-wizardry, then this film is right up your street. There are enough explosions to keep a simple man happy, but also enough drama and cleverness to rope in your seasoned cinema goer.

ps Holly Valance is in it. Excuse enough for any man.