Movie: Taken

Spoiler Alert! (kinda)

Saturday night we rented Taken. I'd say it's a cross between True Lies (father = spy, daughter = kidnapped), Dark Knight (outrageous violence), any of the "Bourne" movies (impressive fighting skills), and Slum Dog Millionaire (a window into the depressing state of the world, including corrupt officials, human trafficking, and mobs).

Overall I'd say the whole thing is like one big trick question, in light of America's role on the world's stage. There's a point in which the protagonist (name? I don't remember) is torturing a "bad guy" for information--an effort to find his daughter and get her back. I was pretty sure that at some point Dick Cheney was going to pop into the screen and be all "See? You, too, can believe torture is justified! Gotcha!"

I guess C's aversion to violent movies had me questioning every fight scene where it was obvious that every karate chop to the neck and every bullet to the heart of a "bad guy" was supposed to rouse the audience with adrenaline and a sense of victory for the good guy. The fighting scenes are numerous and relatively brief. The writers just speed through a lot of violence to resolve the plot. Granted, they need to figure out how to get our hero from Point A to B, so there's a lot to get done in an hour and a half. Whatshisname's history is also revealed early--a government "prevent-er" (?) which means he is basically a G.I. Joe (think Jason Bourne, Steven Segal, Chuck Norris).

I couldn't help but feel like perhaps it was military propaganda in many parts. I will admit, I share that awe for the "do anything to protect my family" sort of attitude that leads so many action-movie heroes to annihilate bad guys and aliens and robots and countries...

Anyway, I'm left here feeling guilty about the pleasure I found in this guy seeking (and getting) vengeance to save his daughter from the grip of straight up evil. All I could say to placate C after she was so disturbed by the violence was "I would do that for you."
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In case you've seen Taken, I suggest immediately watching "What Happens In Vegas" or checking out these Chuck Norris facts:
- Superman owns a pair of Chuck Norris pajamas.
- Chuck Norris can slam revolving doors.
- When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
- Death once had a near-Chuck-Norris experience.
- Chuck Norris once had a heart attack; his heart lost.
- The quickest way to a man's heart is with Chuck Norris's fist.