From its 2008 debut, Taken became the defining action thriller of the era, turning Liam Neeson into the reluctant but unstoppable protective father we never knew we needed. With sharp pacing and a performance that reimagined the aging hero, it sparked a franchise that banked nearly $1 billion worldwide, proving that audiences still loved grit and resolve over CGI spectacle.
Sequels followed in 2012 and 2015, keeping Neeson's former CIA agent, Bryan Mills, on the hunt, albeit with diminishing critical returns. Still, each chapter offered its own tense, blood-pumping promise. Let's revisit these thrillers in order and examine why they remain must-see entries for action fans everywhere.
Taken (2008)
Taken begins when Bryan Mills, a retired CIA agent, is thrust back into action when his teenage daughter Kim is kidnapped by a human trafficking ring in Paris. The film wastes no time as Mills races across Europe, dismantling criminal networks with brutal precision and winning our rooting interest moment by moment. The strength of Taken lies not in narrative complexity but in its relentless simplicity of a father's love, crossed with a man who has a "particular set of skills."
Taken received mixed reviews from critics, but the audience was more receptive, with the film earning $226 million at the global box office on a budget of just $25 million. What resonates isn't just the home‑grown tension but Neeson's performance. At the time, he redefined the modern action hero with maturity and pure emotion wrapped in a steel exterior. That makes Taken more than throwaway fun. It's thrilling, visceral, and oddly touching in its stubborn paternal devotion.
Taken 2 (2012)
Revenge flips the script in Taken 2.. This time, the story begins when the father of one of the traffickers murdered in the first film tracks Mills, his ex-wife, and daughter while the trio are vacationing in Istanbul, turning the original hunter into the hunted. Mills is briefly captured but soon taps into his lethal instincts to rescue his loved ones and teach the bad guys a painful lesson. The sequel went on to gross $376 million worldwide as fans embraced the familiar formula.
The film essentially doubled down on tension and family stakes. While Kim (still played by Maggie Grace) gets more agency, Neeson's Mills remains cold, calculating, and masterful. Even if the formula feels familiar, the danger feels more immediate. It may lack the surprise of the first entry in the franchise, but it remains a satisfying watch.
Taken 3 (2015)
Taken 3 moves away from abduction plots into conspiracy territory. When Mills' ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) is murdered, and he's framed for the crime, he must clear his name while being pursued by LAPD detective Frank Dotzler (Forest Whitaker). The stakes remain personal, but the structure of the story shifts. It's a fugitive thriller as much as it's an action film that revisits the usual Mills formula. Box office takings remained strong, with earnings of $326 million worldwide. However, the critical response was brutal, with reviewers describing the film as "uninspired action" that lived long past its sell-by date.
While the final installment in the trio of films trips over its setup, Neeson remains sturdy. Mills, alone and on the run, is a more vulnerable, wearier hero, while Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, and Forest Whitaker inject textures the earlier entries skipped. The plot is overstuffed, but there's catharsis in the film's reckoning. As imperfect as it is, Taken 3 closes the trilogy-wide arc about a man chasing ghosts. And the energy in that chase is still worth the ride.
Where To Watch All The 'Taken' Movies In Order
To discover more about TV shows and movies currently streaming in the US, check out the JustWatch streaming guide! You can filter your search by streaming service, genre, price, age rating, and score. Be sure to build your watchlist and receive helpful notifications on what to watch next based on your preferences!
