Taken stars Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, a divorced father who must endure the unthinkable after his seventeen year old daughter is kidnapped while vacationing with a girlfriend in Paris. Unbeknownst to the kidnappers, it just so happens that Mills has a particular set of skills. A set of skills that just might make life a living hell for them. As fate would have it, Mills used to be a glorified bodyguard, and as he frantically maneuvers through a seedy European underworld, he'll need to use every trick he knows in order to save his daughter.

The first half of Taken is pretty damn fun. It jumps into the action almost immediately and unfolds at a brisk pace. Within the first five minutes of the film, we know whose in danger and why and it's clear that Mills has everything figured out. At times, Taken plays like an amped up "Father Knows Best." Mills' overly cautious mentality rubs his ex-wife and daughter the wrong way, but ultimately, his instincts turn out to be well warranted. Mom (played by Famke Janssen) however, appears to make one bad decision after another. Taken are either helpless, dumb, or endlessly naive. Feminists will have a field day ripping on this picture.

Taken does offer up the fun factor, but it certainly loses it's luster in the second half. It's not that it necessarily loses it's sense of pacing. It's just that the film becomes increasingly dull as it chugs towards the finish line. The descent into the dark underground of the city should make for a compelling ride, but in the end, it doesn't really go far enough. Perhaps that's because films like Hostel and Irreversible have taken similar journeys but with a bigger visceral punch.

The action sequences in Taken become more and more muddled as the film moves along, resulting in a climax that feels like a missing reel from the inane Transporter 3. Mills' big hand on hand combat altercation in Taken's final act has no rhythm to it at all. It's just a chaotic collection of shaky camera close ups and annoying quick cuts. It's a shame too because the action sequences in the early portions of the film are pretty well executed.

Taken aspires to be nothing more than a thrill ride. A cut to the chase movie. And truth be told, there's some good stuff in there. Take for instance Mills' old school bodyguard buddies (one of whom is played by John Gries of Napoleon Dynamite fame). Their onscreen camaraderie is actually quite appealing. Unfortunately, these characters only make an appearance early on in the film. They're nowhere to be found in the second half. Screenwriters Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) and Robert Mark Kamen (The Karate Kid) write them out completely. Taken would have been more fun had these guys showed up in the final act and helped Mills save the day.

Some folks are comparing this film to the Jason Bourne series and recent entries in the James Bond franchise. If you ask me, Taken doesn't aim nearly as high. This flick has more in common with those silly but entertaining Steven Seagal vehicles of the late 80's and early 90's (see Out For Justice and Marked For Death). Of course, Liam Neeson is considerably more talented than Seagal, and it's fun to see this guy–now in his mid 50's-- kick ass and take names. That alone makes Taken worth checking out.

On a final note, a warning about the PG-13 rating. Taken features a considerable amount of mayhem and other adult situations. As a kidnapping thriller, it's far more violent than Ron Howard's Ransom (which was R rated). Be sure to leave the little ones at home.

Grade: C+