FILM · 2008 · FRANCE
Taken
- Directed by
- Pierre Morel
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Studio
- EuropaCorp, M6 Films, Grive Productions
18 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Bryan Mills, a former government operative, is trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter Kim. After reluctantly agreeing with his ex-wife to let Kim go to Paris on vacation with a friend, his worst nightmare comes true. While on the phone with his daughter shortly after she arrives in Paris, she and her friend are abducted by a gang of human traffickers. Working against the clock, Bryan relies on his extensive…
18 Interesting Facts About Taken
Interesting Facts (13)
- #001
Liam Neeson expected the film to bomb, but he signed on so he could spend four months in Paris and learn karate while playing a type of role rarely offered to him in the past. Ironically, the film not only became a major hit but also created a new on-screen image for Neeson as an action hero.
- #002
In interviews, Liam Neeson has said the biggest misunderstanding people take from the film is that Europe (and especially France) is a place where young people are at high risk of being abducted by human traffickers. He said that after the film, many American parents thanked him for warning them of the dangers and told him they would no longer let their children go to France. Neeson always takes time to explain that the dangers in the film are greatly exaggerated and tells parents they should encourage their children to leave the US more often.
- #003
The map Bryan holds at the beginning of the film when he learns of the girls' plans at the airport is an old map of Europe (probably dated 1992), as can be clearly seen from the now-dissolved Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. Czechoslovakia split into two independent countries, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, in 1993. Yugoslavia dissolved in 1992.
- #004
Before any action takes place, Bryan already has scratches on the left side of his face that point to his "spare time" activities.
- #005
The iconic apartment fight scene, in which Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) interrogates and incapacitates his daughter's kidnappers using brutal hand-to-hand combat techniques, was filmed with the aim of pure authenticity with minimal cuts. Director Pierre Morel wanted the audience to feel they were witnessing real fighting skill rather than action built on excessive choreography. After extensive martial arts training, Liam Neeson performed most of these moves himself.
- #006
Maggie Grace was reportedly trained by world-famous running coach Alberto Salazar to learn the finer points of running like a 17-year-old girl.
Taken (2008): Kim MillsImage: Wikimedia Commons · Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 - #007
All of Liam Neeson's character's former agency colleagues were played by actors who had previously appeared in "spy" or "cop thriller" television programs and films. Jon Gries played a major role in The Pretender (1996), Leland Orser appeared in both The Pretender (1996) and 24 (2001), and David Warshofsky took small roles in numerous similar shows.
- #008
The singer in the film is named Sheerah. In Hebrew, shirah is the feminine form of the word meaning "singing" or "poetry."
- #009
Contains a major spoiler — show
Just before the kidnappers take Kim, one of them shouts: "Beard. Six feet. Tattoo right hand, moon and star."
- #010
Maggie Grace admitted that making Taken made her far more cautious when she travels. She said she is naturally "personally pretty paranoid" already, but the film reinforced it, leading her to act as the "protector" among her friends on trips and even to change hotels when she felt strangers knew too much about them.
- #011
A father tells his two children the story of "Little Red Riding Hood." The story is often cited as a cautionary tale against talking to strangers and about the dangers of the sex trade — both themes that appear in the film.
- #012
There are two versions of the electric chair torture scene. In the original version released in cinemas, Bryan Mills drives two long nails into Marko's legs and attaches electric clips to them. In the United Kingdom version, he attaches the electric clips to the chair and the sequence is shortened to secure a PG-13 rating (Marko's pained facial expression is removed). Both versions premiered on DVD, the original as the Extended cut and the shortened version as the U. K. Cut.
- #013
Before being cast, Maggie Grace had written a list of actors she hoped to work with, and Liam Neeson was her number one choice. She got the role only three weeks later.
Production Story (3)
- #014
The curved blade used in the final fight is a "karambit." It is a Filipino weapon, and the finger hole in its handle makes disarming very difficult, as is clearly seen in the fight scene.
- #015
Toward the end, Bryan jumps off the "Pont des Arts," a pedestrian-only bridge in Paris. In the scene, the bridge is empty. In reality, this bridge is a popular spot where people socialize, drink wine and play guitar.
- #016
In the house with the red door, Marcos's gang from Tropogia drink Greek "Vergina" beer from Macedonia.
Characters & Cast (1)
- #017
Jeff Bridges was originally cast as Bryan Mills, but after he left the project, Liam Neeson took the role, eager to play something more physically demanding than what he was used to. Bridges eventually watched the film and said Neeson was a much better choice for the role.
Career & Awards (1)
- #018
When Liam Neeson first read the script, he was certain the film would go straight to DVD. As it turned out, the film became an unexpected box-office hit and revived his career in the process.
Taken (2008): Bryan Mills, behind the scenesImage: Wikimedia Commons · Karen Seto / ???? from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work