I did something last week that rarely do any more. I took my wife to a movie in a theatre. It’s not that I don’t like movies; I actually see quite a few, probably more than I should. I just usually wait for them to come out on DVD. I find that very few movies, even of those I like, are worth the trip to theatre, and are certainly not worth giving up my own controlled environment to see. So if I sit in a theatre for one and a half to two hours and the movie isn’t stellar, I’m likely to think much less of it than I would if I had been watching at home. All that is to say that Taken is probably a better movie than I think.
Like the title says, this is not a review, but it will contain some spoilery, though none you wouldn’t predict anyway. You’ve been warned. Here is the beginning of the plot synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes (no spoilers beyond what you would see in the previews):
Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force in this adrenaline-fueled thriller from director Pierre Morel. Bryan (Neeson) has taken early retirement from the CIA in order to live closer to his teenage daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). Bryan's government work kept him away from Kim for much of her childhood, and he's now trying to make up for lost time. When Kim announces that she's taking a trip to Paris with her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy), Bryan is apprehensive about her traveling on her own. His worst fear is soon realized, as Kim and Amanda are abducted upon their arrival in France. Bryan immediately springs into action, using his well-honed CIA skills to piece together clues from a single, frantic phone call he received from Kim. (continue at Rotten Tomatoes)
What no reviewer that I’ve noticed (not that I’ve been paying attention) has commented on, and the writers, judging by the ending, didn’t think was important, is the one thing that ruined the movie for me. And let me point out that it wasn’t just me who noticed. My wife jumped right on it when we were barely out of the theatre, and before I had said anything about it. I suppose it was nice that this deficiency wasn’t manifest until the very end, so we were able to mostly enjoy the show.
What is left out of the synopsis above is this: Mills’ ex-wife is married to a very wealthy businessman and has custody of their daughter Kim, but as Kim is a minor, she needs his consent to leave the country. He doesn’t like it, but finally relents. Here’s the big thing: Kim, her mother, and step-father conspire to deceive Dad about the purpose of the trip. She is not simply going on a fun trip with a friend to stay in a safe, adult-supervised home. She and her friend are going to spend the Summer following U-2 all over Europe. There are no adults involved at all, which is what makes their abduction so easy. Had Dad known, he would never have allowed that. Had he known, he never would have had to risk his life to rescue her, and some very bad things that I will spare you would not have happened.
But young people do foolish, sinful things; I understand that. Adults make foolish, sinful decisions; I understand that, too. So while I am irritated and disgusted with what Kim and accomplices have done, I hope it will come out alright in the end — and, after a fairly decent show (gripping action, compelling plot, blah, blah, blah, insert movie critic mumbo-jumbo here) it does, mostly. We knew it would.
Here’s the burr under my saddle: Dad gets his daughter (who, by the way, seems remarkably unscarred by an experience that was traumatic in the extreme — but that’s another gripe) home and is met by a grateful mother and stepfather, who have, of course, a newfound admiration for the man they could previously barely acknowledge. They’re all one big happy family now.
Not one word remotely resembling the vaguest apology is heard. No “I’m sorry I deceived you. I’m sorry I was so foolish. I’m sorry I put your daughter’s life and yours in grave risk. I’m sorry I caused the deaths of several people, some of them innocent.” No remorse over wrong done, just relief and an air of “All’s well that ends well.” No humble contrition, just a rich sugar-daddy’s handshake and some vague, desultory statement on the order of, “Thanks, if there’s ever anything I can do for you . . .”
I left the theatre wanting to give them all a piece of my mind, including the hero for letting it go at that. If she had been my daughter, there would have been repercussions.
I guess that’s the world we live in. There are no sins, only good and bad outcomes. As long as no harm is meant, no wrong is done.
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6 Comments:
#1 || 09·05·05··08:53 || Daniel
Like yourself, I don't see a lot of "in theatre" movies. I think the last movie I took my wife to was Iron man. It was difficult to convince her, but I managed to let slip that the plot was about some guy who was emotionally distant after losing his first wife in some tragic accident, and how a blind woman eventually broke through his "iron" nature and taught him to feel again. I was quite shocked when it turned out to be an action packed guy movie.
She didn't buy that though.
#2 || 09·05·05··09:23 || David
Women can be so cynical.
#3 || 09·05·06··11:00 || Dan Phillips
Oh! You guys are so bad!
I'd hate that about the plot, too, David. I've seen several such movies, though none comes to mind.
#4 || 09·05·06··12:55 || David
Dan, due to previous reviews you’ve written, I thought of you when I wrote this. I actually checked your blog to see if you had written anything on this before posting. Then I thought, “Hey, I’m actually ahead of Dan on this!” and clicked “publish” as fast as I could.
#5 || 09·05·08··13:41 || Dan Phillips
Yeah, I'm fast, dude. Watchout! SWOOOOSH!
That's a movie I wanted to see, but didn't get to. It'll have to be Blockbusterized. I'll prepare to be ticked off at the end.
#6 || 09·05·08··15:35 || David
Oh, it’s worth seeing. Neeson is good, and you’ll be rooting for him to the end. If only he could approach his ex like he does the kidnappers.
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