DVD REVIEW – Taken

My husband and I saw an awesome movie last night! It kept us on the edge of our couch the entire time! Let me just say one thing – Liam Neeson is THE MAN!! I had the opportunity to review the DVD “Taken.” Wow! If you are into action filled, suspense-filled movies with awesome actors, this one is for you!
On May 12th, 2009, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment released “Taken” on DVD and Blu-Ray. “Taken” is about a former spy (Liam Neeson of “Schindler’s List”) who uses his special skills and killer instincts to hunt down the men who kidnapped his daughter. Brian Mills (played by Liam Neeson) is a former secret agent who is struggling as retired divorcee and father of a 17 year old daughter named Kim (played by Maggie Grace of “Lost”). He retired and moved closer to his daughter and ex-wife Lenore (played by Famke Jansson of “X-Men: The Last Stand”). Even though he lives nearby, Kim rarely gets a chance to spend quality time with her dad, and when she is around him, he is smothering and overbearing. Kim receives an opportunity to travel to Paris with her best friend, but leaves out some important details. As soon as the girls arrive in Paris, they are greeted by a young man named Peter, who offers to share a taxi with them (cutting down on expensive transportation). The girls happily agree. Kim is supposed to call her dad as soon as she arrives, but fails to do so. Her dad calls her and gets through. As Kim looks for a quiet place to talk to her dad at her best friend’s cousins’ house, she sees her best friend abducted by a group of Albanian criminals. They see her through the window and her dad hears the kidnappers take her. He has her shout out everything that describes him, which gives him a headstart on capturing the scum that took his daughter! He has only 96 hours to find his daughter before she disappears forever and nothing or nobody will stop him!

Two-Disc Extended Cut Blu-ray Disc Specs:
The Taken Extended Cut Blu-ray Disc (BD) is presented in widescreen format (2.40:01) with English 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound and Spanish/French Dolby Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Bonus features include:

Disc One
– Extended Cut seamlessly branched with Audio commentary with Director Pierre Morel, Writer Mark Kamen, and Cinematographers Michael Abramowicz and Michael Julienne
– Exclusive Le “Making Of” featurette
o Inside Action: Side by Side Comparisons of:
• Peter Dies
• Bryan Escapes Construction Site
• Good Luck
• The Interrogation
• Bryan at Saint Clair’s
• Boat Fight
o Black OPS Field Manual
o Avant Premiere

Disc Two
o Digital Copy File of Taken for Portable Players

Two-Disc Extended Cut DVD Specs:
The Taken two-disc Extended Cut DVD is presented in widescreen format (2.40:01) with English 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound and Spanish/French Dolby Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Bonus features include:

Disc One
o Extended Cut seamlessly branched with Audio commentary with Director Pierre Morel, Writer Mark Kamen, and Cinematographers Michael Abramowicz and Michael Julienne
o Exclusive Le “Making Of” featurette
o Inside Action: Side by Side Comparisons of:
• Peter Dies
• Bryan Escapes Construction Site
• Good Luck
• The Interrogation
• Bryan at Saint Clair’s
• Boat Fight
o Avant Premiere

Disc Two
o Digital Copy File of Taken for Portable Players

Single-Disc Extended Cut DVD Specs:
The Taken single-disc Extended Cut DVD is presented in widescreen format (2.40:01) with English 5.1 Dolby Surround and Spanish/French Dolby Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles.

TAKEN
Release Date: May 12, 2009
Pricing: $39.99 U.S. / $49.99 Canada (Blu-Ray Disc)
$34.98 U.S. / $45.98 Canada (2-Disc Extended Cut)
$29.98 U.S. / $43.48 Canada (Single Disc)
Catalog Numbers: 2255469 (BD), 2255672 (EC), 2255352 (SD)
Total Run Time: 90 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Rating: Unrated
Closed Captioned: Yes