MovieChat Forums > Taken (2009) Discussion > My honest opinion on Taken & things I no...

My honest opinion on Taken & things I noticed throughout the film

posted 6 years ago by CinemaDemon989 (1286)
12 replies | jump to latest

Taken is one of those films where I find the whole plot so ridiculous and far-fetched, and yet, for whatever reason, I still found it to be pretty entertaining and enjoyable. I think Taken is one of those 'it's so bad, it's good' kind of films. And plus, Liam Neeson is the only reason why this movie was even watchable. In a strange way, Liam was just perfect for this role. Maybe it had something to do with his stern looks and Irish accent. Liam Neeson is one of my favorite actors, and it's weird seeing him go from playing in a super serious role like Schindler's List to a film like Taken. This is one of those films where you just have to disregard some details, try not to focus on realism so much, and simply sit back and enjoy the movie. It's a film that you can't take too seriously. I remember the first time I watched the movie, I was really disappointed, because I had such high expectations, and also due to how cheesy some of the scenes were. But as time went on, I came to sort of appreciate this movie, and to just enjoy for what it is.

So here are some things that I noticed:

1) The mother and daughter were some of the most unlikable and superficial characters ever. The mom was just downright uppity, mean, and arrogant. So much pompousness. And the mom treated Liam Neeson's character like crap. I actually felt bad for him. And the weird thing is, the daughter was supposed to be the one that the viewer felt sympathy for (seeing that she gets kidnapped and all). But in this film, it sort of goes the other way around. The mother and daughter's personalities and overall attitude is so utterly unlikable, that's it's difficult to feel sympathy for either of them. If anything, I felt more sympathy for Neeson's character.

2) Did anyone else notice that milkshake that Neeson got his daughter? I mean seriously, what was that?! That milkshake was huge! Did he expect her to drink that in one setting? That didn't even seem like a standard cup size for a milkshake. That was more like a flower vase. For whatever reason, I just found that small detail hilarious.

3) After Neeson takes some pictures of his daughter (and her friend) at the airport, he almost instantly went and had those pictures developed. He couldn't even wait 24 hours. I found that kind of strange.

4) After he so easily managed to find the map, showing all the places where his daughter planned on traveling throughout Europe; the mom was like "she's just going to travel with a rock band in Europe...all the kids are doing it these days!" Um...what? Liam was completely justified for being concerned about his daughter's well-being. As awesome as it sounds to travel around with a rock band in Europe, it still definitely sounds risky, especially for two American girls traveling all alone. Of course that sounds dangerous! And the mom was just so careless about everything. Bad parenting I'd say. She never took any dangers into consideration.

5) The choreography wasn't exactly the best. But still, there were some pretty entertaining fight scenes and violence throughout the film. Liam Neeson was a total beast.

6) Liam was like, "the next detail is very important...they're going to take you." Why didn't he just guide his daughter to escape the hotel and avoid getting kidnapped?

7) The scene where Liam is like "I will find you and I will kill you" was kind kinda awesome and super laughable all at the same time. Such awkward dialogue.

8) Liam finds his daughter's friend dead from a drug overdose in a human trafficking operation, and he never bothers to report it? What about that girl's parents? Shouldn't they know what happened to their daughter?

9) The scene when he flips on the electricity - leaving one of the kidnappers to die an agonizing death. Did he ever consider what would happen to the body? I mean, the entire building could've caught on fire. That guy's entire body probably would've burst into flames at some point.

10) Liam literally went about three days without eating or sleeping.

There are so many details, flaws, and major plot-holes that I could mention.

[–] Culburn (3638) 6 years ago

2) is the best. Now I have to have a milkshake. A BIG ONE!

Seriously, good points, CD. Thank you.

[–] CinemaDemon989 (1286) 6 years ago

Okay, so here are some other things that I noticed:

11) The uppity mom and her new super rich husband didn't even bother to report the kidnapping to any sort of law enforcement agency. They literally left everything up to Liam Neeson. I mean, I know Liam had 'a particular set of skills' and everything...but still, it seems really risky and irresponsible to leave all of that responsibility up to Liam. There's only so much that one guy can do.

12) I admired Liam's calmness and patience throughout this whole kidnapping ordeal. But did anyone else think he was almost too calm at times?

13) I thought it was hilarious how Liam discovered all these small clues and details to find the kidnappers. He was like a super advanced Sherlock Holmes. With his set of skills, he would've been better off as an undercover detective, rather than a bodyguard for celebrities.

14) One scene that really surprised me, is when Liam shot that guy's wife in the shoulder. It was so random and unexpected. Straight up savage!

15) Did anyone else find it weird how Liam just so happened to have an IV and a needle on standby for that drug addicted girl? I mean, what are the odds?!

16) I assume the rich uppity mom paid for Liam's travel expenses to France. Because he said that he didn't have any money, and traveling to France definitely isn't cheap.

17) The two girls had 'the entire 5th floor' to themselves. Ugghh...yet again, more pompousness.

18) Liam sat on an airplane with his audio recorder listening to voices in a different language. Seeing that he didn't speak the language, what exactly was he expecting to learn?

19) That French translator was terrible. Liam was paying him a sufficient amount of money to translate a few sentences, and the guy kept saying "I don't understand why you want me to do this??". Dude, you had one job and one job only. Stop asking so many questions.

[–] MIchiganJFrogg (-35) 6 years ago

[deleted]

[–] CinemaDemon989 (1286) 6 years ago

lol...thanks.

[–] MIchiganJFrogg (-35) 6 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ExTechOp (2758) 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ExTechOp (2758) 5 years ago

This film is faaaar from perfect or even great, but your issues are pretty much answered:

1) Bryan was supposed to be the one that the viewer felt sympathy for, not the daughter. It’s an absentee dad hero fantasy.

2) Bryan’s a clod when it comes to “dad things”; an oversize milkshake is consistent with his character.

3) Rushed picture development is probably a longtime habit for an ex-spook. Never know what you might’ve missed, and the camera might’ve captured.

4) Yes, it’s risky and the mom didn’t take that into account; that’s the whole point of the film. But she threatens Bryan, telling him he’ll drive Kim away, so he relents.

5) no debate here

6) His experience and “particular set of skills” told him she had no chance of escape. The kidnappers had to have targeted them both, so they’d keep looking for her wherever she hid.

7) As badass as the monologue seemed, its actual purpose was to challenge the kidnapper into speaking. Criminals are macho egotists in movies and real life. They’d have a tough time letting a badass threat be the final word. They’d want to show how not-scared they are. It worked.

8) Bryan’s not a crusader - he’s a monomaniac out to rescue his daughter, period. He probably blames her friend for the whole thing anyway. He’s certainly not interested in alerting local authorities.

9) He might’ve considered what would happen to the body, but he obviously doesn’t care. See 8, above.

10) The movie’s not real time; we don’t know if he ate or slept.

[–] ExTechOp (2758) 5 years ago

11) Bryan took over the operation from the get-go, so the uppity mom and her super rich husband didn't have a chance to give input. Given his experience and immediate demonstrations of superiority over each of them, it’s not surprising they didn’t alert Interpol. Bryan probably convinced them (maybe correctly) that cops would warn the kidnappers.

12) His calm was consistent with a trained spook at home in his workplace.

13) He hasn’t “spent a lifetime” as a celebrity bodyguard, remember?

14) agreed

15) a field operative would know how to get his hands on medical supplies

16) “I assume the rich uppity mom paid for Liam's travel expenses to France” - good assumption, I’d agree

17) “The two girls had 'the entire 5th floor' to themselves. Ugghh...yet again, more pompousness” - or hubris, more precisely

18) what can a trained spook learn from a voice? to recognize it when he hears it again, among other things

19) the translator was a civilian; why wouldn’t he be curious, or even alarmed by what he’s being asked to do?

Lastly, you ask, “Dude, you had one job and one job only. Stop asking so many questions.”

You must see the irony in that question.

I'm certainly claiming any high ground for being obsessive enough to answer all your points.

[–] CinemaDemon989 (1286) 5 years ago

There was nothing to indicate that the translator was a civilian. I just thought he was a hired translator. I mean, Liam had so many special resources and all, I figured that hiring a professional translator would be no big deal.

By the way, another detail that I just thought of, is that Liam was driving around Paris like a speed racer; like something out of The Fast and Furious. And not one police officer noticed him?? I mean, I've never been to Paris, but I assume it's a pretty decent sized city, crowded with a lot of people. I find it hard to believe that police officers wouldn't be patrolling the streets. Paris seemed like a really calm city. So to see a car going at a lightning fast speed down the streets should've been like an anomaly. How could that not have been noticed?

[–] ExTechOp (2758) 5 years ago

I've been to Paris, they do drive crazy. Not movie crazy, but crazy enough to justify "Taken" and "Ronin"

Tokyo too, at rush hour of all times

Happy to respond ... good to know there's at least one other poster as obsessive/compulsive as oneself

BTW, on the old IMDB board, someone posted something that, for me, causes everything in the movie to make dramatic sense if not logical sense: it's an absentee dad's fantasy. Not literally, as in Bryan Mills imagined it all, but rather imagine the writer/director/producer/all of them are non-custodial parents, and the movie not only makes sense but has a kind of poignancy

At the very least, it explains my own biggest problem: why did Bryan go it alone when he has an assortment of retired spooks as friends who would almost certainly help him out for free?

[–] CinemaDemon989 (1286) 5 years ago

It would've been an epic plot twist if Bryan had imagined it all and was just crazy.

[–] CinemaDemon989 (1286) 5 years ago

Lol...come on man, that milkshake was insane. The was a dang flower vase.

Thanks for all your feedback though. Glad to see that someone took the time to read my lengthy analysis.

[–] LTUM (980) 5 years ago

[deleted]