Taken

At Liam Neeson's present age, I would've thought that a physically demanding action role would have been out of the window. A lot of actors tend to wind their bodies down away from the body taxing fight scenes, running after people through crowded streets and jumping off bridges. Neeson then proves you wrong, and this is probably one of the finest films of his career. Yes, it even tops Darkman's action. Sorry, in my eyes, Jedi mentors don't cut it for me. Al Ghul's do, but that wasn't exactly a whole Neeson platform.

Taken, then. Written by Luc Besson (Leon, La Femme Nikita) and Robert Mark Kamen (The Karate Kid and er...The Transporter), Neeson is Bryan Mills, a former government operative who's adamant he's never going to go back to the life he once had for the chance of a sweet life with his daughter. A life made difficult by his ex wife (Famke Janssenomnomnomnomnom) who spoils her with lavish gifts and an extravagant lifestyle. In their world, money makes the world go round, and they have a lot of it. So with that, it's only fitting that said daughter (who, I must say, is one of the most spoilt little bitches ever to grace cinema) and friend wants to travel round the world to follow U2 on tour. Such a life! Of course, Daddy isn't happy with this decision as he knows exactly what the world is like, yet they travel to Paris anyway.

It's kind of a slow paced introduction to the characters but it magically changes at the drop of a hat as the girls get abducted for white slavery whilst on the phone to Neeson. It's from that point, and a perfectly delivered monologue from Neeson with a subtle ferocity, that the film really gets underway.

Action scenes are totally superb, I was watching and figured that this was the tale of Old Man Bourne as they are on a par with Ludlum's superspy. Yet, action doesn't make the film , and the storyline itself was well researched. I think I was more impressed at how clever it was than how kick ass the fights were. The infiltrations, the detective work, and the simple little tricks that are predicable as anything in this genre, truly surprised me.

The only thing I can suggest is that you get hold of a copy immediately and see it for yourself. I foolishly ignored it last year, and now my face has been slapped accordingly. It's only let down is the warm build up it takes, and if I could readjust the point for a Holly Valance appearance, I would. But if you really need to get away from Statham no-brainers, Neeson's your man.

4 battered slave traders out of 5