Taken (2009) PG13 - 4 Stars

According to the U.S. Department of State, there are an estimated 800,000 – 1,200,000 children, women and men trafficked across international borders each year. 70 percent are female and 50 percent are children. The majority of these victims are forced into the commercial sex trade.

I almost gave "Taken" 4 stars not because it's a great 4 star movie, but because I did enjoy the action scenes and perhaps making the public more aware of the act of human trafficking. While Neeson performance seemed to be a cross between James Bond and Jack Bauer, I really enjoyed his enthusiasm being one invincible bad ass. Let's just say, he made the movie, almost on his own. Though a lot of scenes are pretty far fetched, I am aware that these types of human trafficking rings do exist and the kidnapping of men, women and children drugged and used as sex slaves, does happen.

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), used to work for the government undercover taking care of the bad guys. But his job took him away from his wife Lenore (Famke Janssen), and his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace), so since the divorce he has not been able to spend much time with Kim. Now semi retired from his position, he's given up the spy work to move closer and rediscover his relationship with his daughter.

Lenore has remarried into wealth and Kim pretty much has everything she needs making Bryan's birthday gift look meager in comparison to her new step father's present of a fine filly. But when Kim and her friend Amanda convince dad to let them travel to Paris alone, it will be dad, who comes to the rescue to save his daughter just in time before she drifts below the surface of ever being found.

20th Century Fox Distribution
Director: Pierre Morel
Writers: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Producers: Luc Besson, India Osborne, Pierre-Ange Le Pogam

I viewed 5/09