First Look
Liam Neeson Appears to be Jumping into The Matrix
Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on August 4, 2008
Either Fox’s marketing team is getting really, really lazy, or Liam Neeson will be jumping through wormholes into The Matrix in the film Taken. Seriously, what’s with the trench-coat mafia style movie posters?
As it turns out, Taken has nothing to do with “jumping” or the Matrix, and thankfully also has nothing to do with either Keanu Reeves or Hayden Christensen. In fact, Neeson’s presence in this poster makes Taken that much more intriguing. The man is a great actor, but last time I checked he wasn’t much of a badass. Then again, I have been wrong about these things before. Look at how Heath Ledger turned out in The Dark Knight. Before that he was Casanova.
Anyway, back to this Taken situation. The film, which was written and produced by Luc Besson (The Transporter, District B13), follows the story of a former spy (Neeson) whose daughter has been kidnapped and forced into the slave trade. The folks over at IGN debuted the full trailer back in late June. You can see that below.
After seeing that trailer, I take back the comment about Liam Neeson not being a badass. This one looks like it could be a lot of fun. On top of the initial appearance, we all know that Luc Besson has a knack for delivering pulse-pounding action — and this time he has raised his game by bringing Neeson in in place of Jason Statham. As well, the film is directed by Pierre Morel, who has served as cinematographer on War, Unleashed and both of the first two Transporter films. He also directed the highly-acclaimed French action thriller District B13. With all of that power in its corner, it appears that Taken might be worth a look. Now, if they could only make a poster that doesn’t remind me of Manikin Skywalker.
Taken is scheduled to hit theaters in the U.S. on September 19th. Check out a high resolution version of the newly released poster by clicking on the littler one below.
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10 Comments
August 5th, 2008 at 6:03 am
I loved the film and yes Liam is badass in this!
August 5th, 2008 at 6:47 am
yet another movie designed to validate torture as a method and a form of entertainment.
August 5th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Looks really, I good. Liam Neeson is a really great actor, and I’m sure he will do a great job in this film.
Now… I wonder why he looks so scared in that trenchcoat poster. He should look angry, serious, or at least like a badass, but he looks like he’s about to piss his pants… =S
August 5th, 2008 at 9:45 am
1) Really, Neil? The black trench is a classic look.
2) Why can’t US cinema rise above genericness when making revenge films?
August 5th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Yes, the black trench is a classic look…. since the Nazis wore it so well. Time to move to a new look.
August 5th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Oh Kevin, always going straight to Nazis. Hugo Boss, founder of Hugo Boss AG, helped design Nazi uniforms. All that genocide and Imperialism aside, I have a minor in Graphic Design and German design from 1920-1945 is taught in all design classes. In both fashion and graphics (Tannenberg font was created by the Nazis), the Germans of that period were pretty stylish.
August 5th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Liam Neeson not a badass?
Are you kidding me?
Have you seen Rob Roy?
Liam Neeson v Unbeatable opponent. Neeson toughs it out for the win.
August 5th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I had my doubts about this movie but it was awesome and Liam Neeson is indeed a badass in it. Very entertaining.
August 5th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Liam Neeson not a badass? Think back… 90’s… Sam Raimi… nothing yet? The Darkman?
August 6th, 2008 at 4:13 am
Liam Neeson not a badass? Not a badass?
He went head to head with Dirty Harry in “The Dead Pool”. And before wielding a lightsaber, he sliced Tim Roth in half with a claymore with one hand…while holding the opponent’s rapier in the other.