'Taken' with Liam
Neeson makes a superb action star in Hollywood’s latest blockbuster
By Lisa Miller 02/05/2009
In “Taken,” veteran actor Liam Neeson brings his angular, 6-foot-4 physicality to the role of retired CIA operative Bryan Mills. Though in command of his undercover skills, Mills flounders as the divorced father of naive 17-year-old Kim (Maggie Grace). Kim’s mother Lenore (Famke Janssen), now remarried to a wealthy Los Angeles businessman, is both bitter toward and feels superior to her once-workaholic ex. Disregarding her ex-husband’s misgivings, Lenore insists Kim not miss out on doing Europe little-rich-girl-style.
To retain Kim’s affection, Mills is compelled to sign papers that give his daughter permission to spend the summer overseas. “You have no idea what the world is like,” he tells her — a warning that at the time seems to her more irrational phobia than caring. Mills’ words are prophetic, however. Kim and her girlfriend are kidnapped by Albanian white slave traders a mere hour after landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Mills is a character that could easily crumble in less competent hands but benefits from the intelligence emanating out of Neeson’s blue eyes, at once fiery and soft. Mills’ CIA experience and his connections make us believe he can find his daughter before a four-day deadline after which, the kidnapping group’s history shows, she will disappear forever.
Neeson, whose roles are rarely the physical type, possesses the ability to explode from quiescence to action in the blink of an eye. He pursues, tortures and kills his quarry with such bloodless efficiency that we have no opportunity to ponder the necessity for the mayhem. Mills is the sort of freelance operative who fiction loves above all others: He instantly discerns the puppets and puppeteers and knows precisely how to deal with each.
While oversimplification blights the domestic drama happening within the film, Mills is a treasure, molded by Neeson for quick changes from daddy to smooth operator to merciless killing machine. While the 57-year-old actor may show some minor physical signs of wear, his talent is anything but worn-out. At my screening, Mills’ punishing retributions earned applause on several occasions. Though typically cast in supporting roles, Neeson deserves to take many bows for “Taken.”
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT