Taken (2008)
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An ex-CIA officer must navigate a dangerous underworld to rescue his kidnapped daughter in France.
The story
Bryan Mills, a retired CIA officer and former Green Beret, attempts to build a closer relationship with his 17-year-old daughter, Kim. While overseeing security for a pop star, he saves her from an attack. When Kim and her friend Amanda travel to Paris, they are abducted by an Albanian sex trafficking ring. Bryan must navigate the dangerous streets of Paris, utilizing his elite skills to track them down. He faces a ticking clock, as his contacts warn him that the window to find the girls is closing rapidly as they are moved through the underground criminal network.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Bryan Mills, a retired CIA officer, tries to bond with his daughter, Kim, before she travels to Paris with her friend, Amanda. After the girls are abducted by an Albanian trafficking ring, Bryan begins a desperate search. He identifies the kidnappers' leader, Marko Hoxha, and navigates the local red-light district with the help of a local contact. After a series of violent confrontations and rescues, he discovers that the girls are being held by a criminal syndicate led by Patrice Saint-Clair. Bryan infiltrates a clandestine auction where Kim is being sold. He fights through the syndicate's henchmen and eventually finds Kim on a nearby yacht. After a final confrontation with the syndicate's leaders, he rescues Kim and returns her safely to the United States.
- First release year
- 2008
- Runtime (minutes)
- 90
- Production countries
- France
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Pierre Morel
- Writers
- Luc Besson · writer; Robert Mark Kamen · writer
- Cast and characters
- Liam Neeson · Bryan Mills; Maggie Grace · Kimberly "Kim" Mills; Famke Janssen · Lenore "Lenny" Mills-St John; Leland Orser · Sam Gilroy; Jon Gries · Mark Casey; David Warshofsky · Bernie Harris; Holly Valance · Sheerah; Katie Cassidy · Amanda
- Genres
- action; thriller
- Themes
- father-daughter relationship; protection
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- kidnapping; human trafficking; action
- Franchise connections
- Taken
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a financial success, becoming a turning point for Liam Neeson's career as an action star.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 60% · review count: 178
- Production trivia
- The film was edited by 3 minutes to secure a PG-13 rating in the United States.; Liam Neeson initially thought the film would be a 'little side road' for his career.; The 'Taken Speech' became a widespread internet meme.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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