Taken

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), a former CIA agent who knew what he was doing, has hung up his weapons to seek retirement in order to spend time with his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), who is now a teenager and barely knows him. When she finally asks him what he did in the CIA, he says he was a "preventer," that he prevented bad things from happening. That's just a taste of what Bryan's skills actually are.

The movie starts out slowly, but wisely, showing us another taste of Bryan's skills when he agrees to accompany some buddies along on a security job protecting a Brittany Spears-type singer. A few things happen during this job that come back later to a feel-good moment, when the star decides to pay back her security guy.

How many of these type of films have we seen? Actually, thankfully, none like this. This is an interesting take on the I-will-hunt-you-down plot, and we're there for every tick of the clock when Albanian sex-slave guys in Paris kidnap his daughter. The intriguing trailer's bit where he tells them about his select group of skills is here in all its glory, and is greeted by a singular "Good luck" by the kidnapper, a phrase that will haunt him later.

It's a thrill-a-minute, and Neeson is at once cutthroat but also sincere and worthy of our trust. He's more than a doting father. He's one who can make his threats come true. Watch out, future suitors!

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