Taken (2009)
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.
Australian Theatrical Release:
Aug 14, 2008 Wide
US Box Office: $144,924,285
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
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
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Unintentional giggles aside, this is classic revenge fare that borders unnervingly on being voyeuristic and downright nasty. Full Review |
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A simplistic action-thriller depicts extreme prejudice and shows middling contempt. Full Review |
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Taken is neither original nor meaningful…but that’s not really the point, is it? Full Review |
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The screenplay has a simple but effective premise; the ex-CIA agent on a mission to save his kidnapped daughter. But the variables give the film a lot to work with, from the Paris setting to the deadly gang who steal and trade women like slaves. Full Review |
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non-stop action with Liam Neeson in devastating form as the former security agent who turns Paris upside down as he searches for his abducted daughter. Director Pierre Morel has a great eye for action... Full Review |
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3/4 |
Taken is a fast-paced, high-octane action movie that ... doesn't take very many detours into soul-searching melancholy. Full Review |
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B |
I liked it, but don't expect the unexpected in this French action thriller -- especially in an ending that is about as predictable as a Pine Sol commercial. Full Review |
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71/100 |
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. Full Review |
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4/4 |
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. Full Review |
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2.5/5 |
The action is engaging but rarely exciting; the drama heftier but still far from convincing. Full Review |
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4/5 |
In a lesser actor's hands, the powerful impact of the subject matter would not have been so ably delivered. Full Review |
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2.5/4 |
The script is more hard-hitting and realistic than [Besson's] Transporter films, which means youll only laugh out loud two or three times. Full Review |
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4/5 |
Taken is the best action thriller of 2009 thus far. Full Review |
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2.5/4 |
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." Full Review |
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3/4 |
A morally specious but undeniably efficient brainstem-tickler -- the most effective action/revenge thriller in years. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Neeson delivers a typically compelling performance in (for him) an atypically muscle-bound role. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Fortunately, somewhat-sloppy storytelling never gets in the way of this briskly paced action adventure. Full Review |
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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.< Full Review |
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3/5 |
This is a Neeson driven story and he doesn't disappoint for anyone who likes him or a good adventure/thriller. Full Review |
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1.5/4 |
Was Liam Neeson looking for a script with lousier dialogue than "The Phantom Menace"? Full Review |
CommentLatest 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
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