Taken

I know this film's already been out and doing great (and unexpected) business at the box office, but I wanted to write about the powerful performance of Liam Neeson in this film. I am amazed that we haven't really seen this type of ferocity on display in any of his roles up to date. It's actually the level of intensity that I wanted to see in Quai Gon Jin, a Jedi with passionate convictions who wasn't afraid to express it. It's a shame, really. His imposing figure and that deep, rough voice have seemed perfect for a journey into darker parts of a man's psyche. Christopher Nolan gave us a peek by casting him in Batman Begins, but he was still playing mainly a mentor character. He still wasn't in "badass" territory.

Taken allows Neeson to finally show some rage; some calculating cruelty dedicated to accomplishing one thing: getting his daughter back. I have read reviews calling this a revenge picture; I disagree. This is one of those "search-and-destroy" films that just happens to revolve around more personal goals than any sort of grand scheme.

I must also give credit to director Pierre Morel. He's a master of stylized action as seen in 2004's Banlieue 13 (District 13), but he gave Neeson the psychological playground to portray his character with heart, even if that heart is slightly frozen. Morel is a veteran of Luc Besson's EuropaCorp, serving as cinematographer and cameraman on several of their films, so he is well versed in bringing Besson's scripts to reality.

I hope to revisit this title here with a review someday... For now, be sure to check out the trailer over at Apple. And if you haven't seen it yet, it's due on DVD and Blu-ray on May 12 in an extended cut that edits back more intense scenes from the European version.