Liam Neeson as an action hero?
“Taken” made that improbably casting move en route to one of 2009’s happier surprises.
The film didn’t appease most film critics but clearly registered with movie audiences. A key reason why comes early in the film, when the main character’s daughter gets kidnapped.
It’s the sequence which sets the film’s story in motion, and it’s the kind of perfectly calibrated moment forget.
Young Kim (Maggie Grace of “Lost” fame) is hiding under a bed while a band of introducers are out to find her. They’ve already captured her girl friend and it’s hard to see an escape route for her.
She calls her father (Neeson), an ex-CIA operative and he calmly tells her what to do. She can’t win, he says, but she must absorb enough information to help her eventual rescue.
It’s a chilling scene, one capturing the heartache of hearing a loved one in distress. But the way Neeson talks his daughter through it tells you the bad guys are in a heap of trouble.
(Photo: Liam Neeson plays a former CIA op tracking down his daughter in “Taken.”)
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree…This scene was great. From beginning to end, him telling his daughter she will be taken to him telling the kidnapper “I will find you and I will kill you.” Great moment in a fun, exciting film.
That scene reminded us what a true “bad ass” audience booster can be. I loved that it was the trailer before it was released here…even my wife was impressed and she despises any move that’s not funny or has Wooderson.
I love this film and the scene. Out of irony (or most likely coincidence is the right word) between two different conversations between two different people this past week each one was telling me they just watched this on cable (since I have been recommending it for awhile) and both of them said how much they loved this scene because it was so effective.
Best movie I saw this year, even though I think it was released in theaters last year. After watching it, I regretted not watching it in theaters.
And one of the things I like about this scene is that it is probably the most emotionally intense in the flic, but the director played it very straight and calm. Not hitting you over the head with everything that is going on in those few minutes.
Just plain great story telling.
Besides the electrocution scene with Marko, are there any other scenes that are different between the theatrical and the un-rated version?
Good call Christian! That’s a riveting scene. I really enjoyed this movie, but I’m a sucker for a revenge flick. I even think the new one starring Mel Gibson looks pretty good (can’t remember the name).