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Reviews
Taken (2008)
A film for those of us who have ever sought revenge.
Before going to the showing of this at my local theater I looked at the reviews on IMDb. I always look at the love/hate category to get both ends of the review spectrum for films. The good reviews promised good action and a great Mr. Neeson. The bad reviews state that this film is a retread of all the other lame action movies coming out of this drab cinema period.
While the film is entirely predictable and formulaic in its approach, it never fails to thrill. You will never find yourself uninterested in what is going on in the film. Liam Neeson pulls off being both dangerous and gentle simultaneously. His daughter is the most annoying character, but Neeson's acting is superb enough that he makes you think he actually loves her and feels the need to rescue her.
This film may not wow you with its plot or character development, but it will entertain you better than any number of action films to come out recently. Think Jason Bourne except larger and more realistic.
The Beast (1996)
An old school t.v. classic
This film first aired on television when I was in middle school. They advertised it heavily and it turned out to be a really great film. It is a well produced television movie that will give you the creeps at certain points. One underwater scene near the beginning of the second half of the film will really get you going. This is the uncut version I am talking about.
There are several cuts of the film that are out there that are very incomplete. The version I have is the one that originally aired on t.v. If you are into things like jaws and King Kong, then you will get a lot of enjoyment out of this film. Some of the characters may be a bit corny but they are played well by some familiar character actors. William Petersen is especially good in the lead role. You really buy the weight he brings to the character. He seems like a genuinely good guy.