Jason KingTaken ($13-)
August 15th 2008 02:31
Category: No Category
Taken ($13-)
REPOSTED AS RELEASED YESTERDAY 14/08/08
Qui-Gon Jinn dumps his lightsabre and robes and channels a bit of the dark side to hunt down and slaughter in absolute Jason Bourne style action a bunch of evil Albanian child sex slave mobsters. Liam Neeson stars in this surprise action film releasing mid August and thanks to the lovely people at Fox (Allison) I got to take a friend and see an advance screening of this non stop rollercoaster action film. It could seriously be considered as a Jason Bourne sequel, if somewhat later on in his life.
I got the invite to this "first" screening and invited Sammy along to a film we had absolutely no idea about. All I got was a two sentence description of the film stating an ex spy comes out of retirement to hunt down a group of people who have kidnapped his daughter. That was it. I was very keen and had explained to Sam that some of the best films I have seen have arrived this way. An invite to a film with absolutely no research prior. I was slightly concerned about Neeson, while his acting is great and his huge frame a presence on film I don't really see him as a lucrative "must see" film star. But this film changes my opinion whole heartedly. He is absolutely superb as the retired spy who comes across kind of wussy at the start. He has retired to the US to be closer to his daughter, Maggie Grace, who is now living with her mum, Famke Janssen. The daughter seeks approval to go to Paris for a few weeks and being under 18 needs dad's permission. Dad knows the world and is dubious about letting his daughter shoot off half way around the world, but caves under pressure wanting to keep his daughter happy. Within five minutes of arriving in Paris daddy's little girl is being kidnapped by bad guys to be sold off into the lucrative sex slave trade and being drugged to the eyeballs. But she is on the phone when getting kidnapped and Liam gets to speak to the bad guy. He calmly warns the guy he has the resources and years of skill to find him and when he does he is going to kill him. This is when I got excited, he was calm, determined and chilling. I knew things were going to get good from then on. And from that moment on the film turns into big budget high action with some of the most gruesome torture and death scenes that got cheers from the audience. He literally turns into Jason Bourne minus the morals.
Liam aside, this film is written by champion Luc Besson, responsible for either writing, producing or directing such things as Nikita, Leon, 5th Element, Arthur and the Invisibles and many more. Placing this film in his home country of France gives the film more of a European art feel and presence. I found Famke Janssen's role ok, but she plays a sidelined rich mum living in the US, this role could have gone to a no name and I think Famke has more acting ability than a mum in the background, but I suppose actors have to work right? The one thing I do have issue with is Maggie Grace playing a 17yr old daughter. Sam loved her in the role but he was having pubescent desires I am sure. She is 25yrs old and looks it, you may know her more with blonde hair playing another spoilt brat as the very "unvirgin" girl from season one of Lost (Shannon). She plays this goof ball teenager at the start who is spoilt rotten and I found her part so over acted it was disgraceful. When the mobsters take her I was grateful to have some non Maggie screen time. The only time I found her part believable was towards the end when she is drugged out of reality and wearing basically nothing. I would much have preferred someone more believable in this role but maybe it was difficult casting a 17yr old actor to play the part of a kidnapped drugged up sex slave.
The film is shot and edited with snappy cuts and quick action fluidity yet again very similar to the Bourne franchise which further adds to the fast pace of the film and enjoyment to the viewer. I do hope that using Neeson as the lead does not hurt this film. I found him great but is he big enough to draw the crowd you would associate with an action film of this calibre?
Trivia: Doing this film propelled Famke Janssen to take action in the real fight against corruption. She now serves as the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Office against Drugs and Crime.
This film does have some seedy elements and will leave many people sickened that this could happen but for any man that has a daughter Neeson will provide plenty of fantasy revenge scenes for anyone that would dare to touch their daughter. Well worth $13- and the $20 you will blow on popcorn and choc tops.
REPOSTED AS RELEASED YESTERDAY 14/08/08
Qui-Gon Jinn dumps his lightsabre and robes and channels a bit of the dark side to hunt down and slaughter in absolute Jason Bourne style action a bunch of evil Albanian child sex slave mobsters. Liam Neeson stars in this surprise action film releasing mid August and thanks to the lovely people at Fox (Allison) I got to take a friend and see an advance screening of this non stop rollercoaster action film. It could seriously be considered as a Jason Bourne sequel, if somewhat later on in his life.
I got the invite to this "first" screening and invited Sammy along to a film we had absolutely no idea about. All I got was a two sentence description of the film stating an ex spy comes out of retirement to hunt down a group of people who have kidnapped his daughter. That was it. I was very keen and had explained to Sam that some of the best films I have seen have arrived this way. An invite to a film with absolutely no research prior. I was slightly concerned about Neeson, while his acting is great and his huge frame a presence on film I don't really see him as a lucrative "must see" film star. But this film changes my opinion whole heartedly. He is absolutely superb as the retired spy who comes across kind of wussy at the start. He has retired to the US to be closer to his daughter, Maggie Grace, who is now living with her mum, Famke Janssen. The daughter seeks approval to go to Paris for a few weeks and being under 18 needs dad's permission. Dad knows the world and is dubious about letting his daughter shoot off half way around the world, but caves under pressure wanting to keep his daughter happy. Within five minutes of arriving in Paris daddy's little girl is being kidnapped by bad guys to be sold off into the lucrative sex slave trade and being drugged to the eyeballs. But she is on the phone when getting kidnapped and Liam gets to speak to the bad guy. He calmly warns the guy he has the resources and years of skill to find him and when he does he is going to kill him. This is when I got excited, he was calm, determined and chilling. I knew things were going to get good from then on. And from that moment on the film turns into big budget high action with some of the most gruesome torture and death scenes that got cheers from the audience. He literally turns into Jason Bourne minus the morals.
Liam aside, this film is written by champion Luc Besson, responsible for either writing, producing or directing such things as Nikita, Leon, 5th Element, Arthur and the Invisibles and many more. Placing this film in his home country of France gives the film more of a European art feel and presence. I found Famke Janssen's role ok, but she plays a sidelined rich mum living in the US, this role could have gone to a no name and I think Famke has more acting ability than a mum in the background, but I suppose actors have to work right? The one thing I do have issue with is Maggie Grace playing a 17yr old daughter. Sam loved her in the role but he was having pubescent desires I am sure. She is 25yrs old and looks it, you may know her more with blonde hair playing another spoilt brat as the very "unvirgin" girl from season one of Lost (Shannon). She plays this goof ball teenager at the start who is spoilt rotten and I found her part so over acted it was disgraceful. When the mobsters take her I was grateful to have some non Maggie screen time. The only time I found her part believable was towards the end when she is drugged out of reality and wearing basically nothing. I would much have preferred someone more believable in this role but maybe it was difficult casting a 17yr old actor to play the part of a kidnapped drugged up sex slave.
The film is shot and edited with snappy cuts and quick action fluidity yet again very similar to the Bourne franchise which further adds to the fast pace of the film and enjoyment to the viewer. I do hope that using Neeson as the lead does not hurt this film. I found him great but is he big enough to draw the crowd you would associate with an action film of this calibre?
Trivia: Doing this film propelled Famke Janssen to take action in the real fight against corruption. She now serves as the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Office against Drugs and Crime.
This film does have some seedy elements and will leave many people sickened that this could happen but for any man that has a daughter Neeson will provide plenty of fantasy revenge scenes for anyone that would dare to touch their daughter. Well worth $13- and the $20 you will blow on popcorn and choc tops.
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How u doing?
Thanks for the comments!
There are 2 new Bourne books out there so we may see some more Jason action soon.
But he could be Bourne's dad - I looked at him more as old Jason.
Thanks for popping in!
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Thanks for your thoughts and comments Luke!