HIS DAUGHTER WAS TAKEN. HE HAS 96 HOURS TO GET HER BACK.

When retired CIA operative Bryan Mills’s (Liam Neeson) 17-year-old daughter (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped in Paris, he springs back into action. The Transporter (2002) cinematographer knows how to make this work; together with Luc Besson, Pierre Morel has a knack for making fast-moving, empty but very enjoyable action films where it is easy to sympathize with a charismatic hero’s quest to find an abducted family member. Often illogical and even reactionary (daddy always knows best), with a Rambo-like lead character… but very intense and survives on the strength of Neeson’s superb performance.

2008-France. 91 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Pierre Morel. Screenplay: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen. Cast: Liam Neeson (Bryan Mills), Maggie Grace (Kim), Famke Janssen (Lenore), Xander Berkeley, Leland Orser, Jon Gries.

Trivia: Followed by two sequels, starting with Taken 2 (2012), and a TV series, Taken (2017-2018).

Quote: “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.” (Neeson on the phone)

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