Scorecard Weekly: 'Taken'

I got a pocket, got a pocket, full of sunshine!

No really, sitting in 73-degree weather, staring at a miniature palm tree can work absolute wonders. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself.

I’m not going to waste any more time, I’m ready to get right into today’s main event!

WELCOME TO SCORECARD WEEKLY! The place where you come to get honest, uncut, and uncensored reviews of the newest and oldest, TV series and movies. Before we begin today’s card, let’s recap on what we are grading, shall we? With the assistance of our state of the art scorecard, we grade:

1. Setting/Characters
2. Obstacles/Conflict
3. Tone
4. Concept

The minimum score for a section and card is one. The maximum score is five. Finally, we decide if it’s a recommend or pass. Even though Valentine’s Day has come and gone, we’re still in a loving and giving mood! As always, we’re gift wrapping you guys and gals a ton of entertainment. *Roses and Chocolate NOT included* We’re on a budget—Sorry!

Since we’ve secured that special place in your heart, need we remind you all WHAT TODAY IS? (Dramatic Pause) THROWBACK THURSDAY! Transporting us back to 2008 (I graduated HS that year), today’s guest WILL BE the movie, TAKEN, starring Liam Neeson. Alright, let’s diveeeee in!

1. Setting/Characters

Okay. Okay. I’ll openly admit now that I have no idea what city this film takes place in, I do believe it’s in California though (Why sweat the small stuff?) However, after some much-needed research, I did come to find that even though this film was released in 2008, it takes place in 2005 (Thank you All Mighty Google!). A tiny portion of the film takes place in the United States, but the real movie begins in Paris. AHHHHH! France! Such a lovely place, at least when I was there. The citizens were welcoming. The food was great. I enjoyed the little bit of time spent in France (not in Paris). One question I still have though, WHEN DOES ANYONE WORK? It seemed that no one worked but everyone shopped—The mystery!

Taking our attention back to the film, we aren’t shown the beauty of Paris, given the circumstances of why we’re there in the first place, which leads me into one of the most vital pieces of the puzzle, the characters. Our protagonist is a retired CIA agent, who is looking to build a meaningful relationship with his teenage daughter (He understands what’s most important in life). We’re also introduced to his daughter, who’s just like any typical teenager; she wants and wants some more (Most of us have been one of those things). We’re just along for the ride. There’s also the asshole ex-wife and wealthy stepfather, both of which we don’t really care much for.

Oh, don’t worry people, I’m not forgetting our antagonist(s). A large and dangerous group of Albanians. Now, if I’m having to be completely honest, I’m going to make the antagonist, the one and only—MARCO! Since Liam delivered such a powerful threat, I’m not going to downplay this man Marco as the main antagonist. We meet the father’s CIA buddies as well as a connect in Paris but none of which we really need to discuss. Moving on. Moving on…

Score- 4

2. Obstacles/Conflict

I’m a firm believer that parents know best, and you just don’t downplay that infinite knowledge they possess—Yeah, I’m laughing at that too. Granted that statement was utter bullshit, DAD KNOWS THE WORLD! The man worked for the CIA dammit, listen to my man’s PLEASE but of course, mommy likes cutting deep. Before I move on, I must vent—

I CAN’T STAND LENORE! Oh, I called her out! She’s such a bitch! I understand what some might say, she has a reason to be pissed off because of the years her ex-husband sent away, but what can he do about it now? He’s putting the effort in, GIVE MY MAN A BREAK!–Now let’s continue.

Our protagonist is faced with an obstacle after his daughter is taken he’s told that if he can’t find her within 96 hours, she’ll disappear forever. As a father myself, I understand the mindset. You know this man is not about the fucking games when he says, “I will look for you. I will find you, and I will kill you.” Like GOD DAMN! Just like that, huh? That shit rolled off the tongue naturally. Of course, Marko didn’t listen.

The next obstacle for our protagonist is finding clues that can help him locate his daughter. He reaches out for help from a friend but that ultimately turns into conflict. Instead of helping our father find his missing girl, he constantly reminds us that he “Sits behind a desk now.” THAT’S NOT OKAY! DOUCHE! Anyways, I’ve been yelling a lot, but this movie takes me there and that’s a great thing! A near impossible obstacle for a man who has NO quit in him.

Score- 5

3. Tone - Desperate. Probing.

This film takes us along on an unforgettable journey into a world that for any parent is terrifying. From the beginning of the film, it sets the mood, giving us a man whose meticulous in his actions. Hell, did you truly watch him wrapping his daughter’s birthday gift? Or placing her photo into the album? He sees and does things differently. Quite particular like his set of skills—see what I did there? Of course, you did! The mood never lets up. The desperation is constant, and it shows time and time again throughout the film that the stakes are as high as they will ever be.

Score- 4

4. Concept

Now, the whole idea of a family member in peril isn’t something new. It’s been around for years but it was nice to get a semi-fresh take on it. I believe the concept of this film is exciting, exhilarating, and to top it off, we’re given a man who’s beyond his prime but STOPS AT NOTHING to rescue his daughter. The idea behind this film makes us all ask ourselves—

How far would you go for your child?

Not original but fresh and at the end of the day, and that’s all that matters. We aren’t slapping ourselves to stay awake or glaring at the person who decided to pick this film for movie night. Someone says Taken and we don’t speak, just nod—

Score- 3.5

Overall Score- 4/5

Final Verdict- Recommend

Final Thoughts: Taken is without a doubt a badass movie. Even though it doesn’t explore in-depth, it gives us insight into the world of human trafficking and just how real it is. I’m not going to make it seem like this movie was trying to bring awareness (Because it isn’t, obviously). From setting to the concept, this film brings balance and for the time being brought closure. Liam is the real MVP—

At least for the first film. Once it got a three put behind it, I began to question his dependability as a parent.

That’s it for today! Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for stopping by! Until we meet again, POLO! You’ll figure it out at some point—