The fact that the phrase ˜the Taken franchise' is a truth in the film industry is possibly the most baffling thing in recent movie memory. The first Taken film was a standalone story; an ex-secret agent's daughter gets kidnapped by a ring of Albanian human traffickers, and so he goes on a crusade to shoot some bad guys, torture some bad guys, and pretty much murder half of … [Read more...]
Review: Taken (2008)
Liam Neeson, a man known for his dramatic turns in films like Schindler's List and Rob Roy, has managed to create a fall-back position as a gruff, aging action hero. Ever since Star Wars: Episode I “ The Phantom Menace he has picked up roles as a take-charge action veteran and he has never been more impressive than in Taken. Inspired by an idea by Luc Besson, who also acts as … [Read more...]
Review: Lockout (2012)
A Luc Besson-produced, action thriller, set in the future, and space, with an A-List Hollywood star having to protect an innocent and untrained woman. No it's not The Fifth Element, but rather the new Guy Pearce vehicle Lockout. He plays a wise-cracking, wrongly imprisoned bad ass called Snow, and for reasons best ignored is sent up to a floating maximum security prison in … [Read more...]