I just saw the film, Taken, this past weekend and had to mention it here. While this is primarily a video game-oriented blog, Taken is the kind of film that you should see if you’re interested in watching a video game-styled movie.
Note that I say video game-styled movie – not a video game-based one. Video games that turn into movies generally aren’t so great, with the latest ones including: Max Payne, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, Hitman, etc. The opposite is true as well, but the transition from movie to video game sometimes isn’t as bad if you don’t count all of the generic kids films.
Taken is a movie that when you watch it, you feel like it could totally be based on a video game, or a video game could be based on it. Thankfully, neither is true. Thus, we can enjoy the film for what it is: a 90 minute action gamer’s thrill ride all on film. R rating for gratuitous violence? Check. Protagonist that is not only intelligent, but a badass that doesn’t take crap from anyone? Check. Tons of action where the protagonist goes around killing dozens of bad guys without even thinking about it? Check.
In a sense, watching this movie is almost like watching someone get the Mile High Club Achievement in Call of Duty 4 without restarting – but through 90 minutes of film. Well, the first segment of the movie is not exactly action-packed, but I forgive it since it needs to set the scene for Liam Neeson to switch into the killer that even Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne may question. Definitely check it out if you’re in the mood for a thrilling film that bears many similarities to a video game without being constrained by one. Apparently it did so well that a sequel is already in the works!
Did you see Wanted? If you did, I would like to know how you think Taken compares to it. I have not seen Taken yet.
Ya I saw Wanted and liked it a lot, but actually lean more towards Taken.
In comparing the two films, I felt that Wanted had the “deeper storyline” with its larger cast of characters, their way of thinking, and the plot twists. But I enjoyed Taken because it wasn’t as all over the place: a man with elite training has his daughter taken, and he goes to Paris on a revenge mission killing anyone who stands in his way to get her back. That’s pretty much the film. The plot summary for Taken on Wikipedia is less than half the verbiage of Wanted haha
Taken has little dialogue of consequence, no downtime spent for the main character to train or “mature”, no downtime spent learning about some evil organization, fewer characters to interact with, etc. He just goes and kicks ass. I also prefer movies with more realistic violence and abilities as compared to the superhero style abilities found in Wanted such as the bending of the bullets. Liam Neeson may have also biased me a little bit in liking Taken more. He was awesome in it!
Of course, if I liked superhero action movies as much as more “realistic” ones (using the term very loosely here), it could very well be a tossup as they were both entertaining for this gamer…