Taken movie review - Aussieboyreviews
DO THE THEMES OF SEX TRAFFICKING IN TAKEN PROMISE FULL-ON REVENGE?
Taken is a great rescue and revenge movie for older teens, but it contains disturbing violent and sexual content throughout. Liam Neeson stars in this engaging thriller.
Storyline
A former CIA agent’s estranged teenage daughter is kidnapped by human traffickers during her trip in Paris. Once finding out, he travels to Europe and makes use of his skills to save her.
Movie Images
Movie details
Director: Pierre Morel
Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Jon Gries, David Warshofsky, Katie Cassidy, Holly Valance, Famke Janssen
Writer: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Release Date (Australia): 14 August 2008
Runtime: 93 minutes/1h 33m
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Country: France
Language: English, French
CONTENT GUIDE (WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS)
The film features strong thematic material including sex trafficking, sexual slavery, forced substance abuse, rape and torture.
The film features strong violence in the form of shooting, stabbing, beating and bludgeoning. Blood and wound detail is briefly depicted.
The film contains use of the words “s**t”, “d**k”, “**shole” and “piss”.
There are references to forced drug abuse throughout, as well as implied drug injections.
None.
The film contains themes of sexual slavery and trafficking throughout.
mpaa rating
PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language)
Aussie boy's thoughts
Enclosed by some stylish action, Liam Neeson plays the father of a teen daughter who is kidnapped by sex traffickers in this entertaining, but disturbing rescue/revenge thriller. Taken takes the idea of trafficking and twists it into a superb execution, but the action needs to be fast and moving enough to engage the viewers.
There’s a fair amount of action that gets too extended, but other than that and some unpleasant portrayals, Taken is simply speeding. The pace of the film is the chief factor that generates a bubble of excitement in your head, resulting in the audience finding Taken a watchable action-thriller. It’s spectacular that the film can take an incredibly realistic story and present it as if it is all happening today. To be more specific, it’s beyond impossible to not enjoy this movie.
Sex trafficking and slavery is a horrendous subject in real life, but it’s also a very compelling topic that needs to be strongly discussed in news and media. Taken is able to portray this theme, and although it finishes with a satisfying conclusion, it’s a big thing in today’s world.
Therefore, Pierre Morel directs this entertaining thriller like a classic action flick. The plot is great, but the action can be slow at times, and completely unlikeable for some audiences.
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