Taken

I was determined to see Taken knowing nothing about it but a review in yesterday's paper caught my eye so I read it.
A one star review is hardly a recommendation so I went into the film (at a preview screening) expecting a stinker.
So I am happy to report I was pleasantly surprised. Taken is a pretty simple `daughter gets kidnapped, father vows to rescue her' film.
Liam Neeson is Bryan Miller, a retired `Government agent' trained to `stop bad things happening'. He reluctantly allows his daughter Kim to go on holidays in Europe with her friend.
While checking up on her via a phone call Kim's friend is abducted and Kim is soon taken also leading Neeson to utter the most hilarious threat seen in film in years.
He vows down the phone to Kim's kidnapper that he would find him and kill him. I did well not to burst out laughing.
So Bryan goes all over Paris trying to track Kim down and I must admit there is some excellent action here. Some great gunfights, a car chase as Bryan ruthlessly works his way to the man at the end of the phone.
There are much better films out there than this one, and there are some massive holes and missing parts to the story, but it's not bad and certainly not the dud I had anticipated.
I still can't see Liam Neeson as an action hero and that's a major flaw.
I'm going to give it 6 out of 10. Wouldn't say rush out and see it but you could do worse as a DVD one night at home.