Parents' Guide to

Taken

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Violent, disturbing rescue/revenge thriller isn't for kids.

Movie PG-13 2009 94 minutes
Taken Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 53 parent reviews

Belinda M.
Belinda M. Parent of 15-year-old
December 26, 2022
age 17+

If you want to put your teenage daughter off travelling - let her watch this

If you want to put your teenage daughter off travelling - let her watch this. Don't get me wrong - it's a brilliant, tense and high energy film but it's absolutely not for kids or younger teens because of its dark and intense theme of sex trafficking. As an adult woman it made me feel vulnerable and sick and I'd wait until my daughter was at least 17 to watch it. Of course the dad rescue plot is engaging and makes it a good movie but it's just too dark for younger teens with impressionable minds.
1 person found this helpful.
MissSC
MissSC Adult
January 3, 2021
age 13+

Great Film!

Not really sure why this is an 18, I think if it was made in 2021 it would be a 15 because of the themes, sex trafficking, violence etc but there isn't much violence compared to say Tarantino movies and not really any actual sex/nudity. It's a good story line and my daughter is 11 was hooked from start to finish. She is mature for her age (more like a 14 year old) and was also a good opportunity to talk about human trafficking and drugs, both of which are still happening every day! We both really enjoyed it so I'd say probably 12 upwards (depending on the child's maturity)
1 person found this helpful.
See all 53 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In TAKEN, Liam Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a former CIA operative who's retired early to Los Angeles to be closer to his 17-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace). Bryan reluctantly agrees to let Kim travel to Europe with her impetuous friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy), but only if she takes an international cell phone with her and promises to call every day. His concerns seem quite justified: Within half an hour of landing in Paris, Kim and Amanda are kidnapped into a disturbing world of sex trafficking. Luckily for Kim, she was checking in with her dad when the kidnapping took place, so Bryan is immediately able to use his counterintelligence skills to track down the European thugs responsible for her capture.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (53 ):
Kids say (121 ):

Neeson is an actor of considerable gravitas, and it's downright puzzling why this is his first meaty role in a mainstream film since Batman Begins. While he's well cast as an unstoppable father who could -- and would -- do serious damage to anyone in order to save his daughter, he's just too good for this revenge flick. And Grace, who's actually 25, plays Kim as way too immature (she even affects the awkward run of an uncoordinated 8-year-old girl). No wonder she was such an easy mark.

Still, this thriller could be used as a cautionary tale for trusting high school girls traveling abroad. Kim and Amanda disclose so much information to a complete stranger -- even sharing a cab with him -- that it's eye-rollingly infuriating. Perhaps French director Pierre Morel thinks wealthy L.A. teens would act this way, but it's hard to swallow. But even harder to believe is that a CIA-trained specialist would kill seemingly everyone (and that's no exaggeration) he meets without saving anyone other than his daughter. Morel shows dozens of women enslaved for their bodies, but in the end audiences are supposed to just forget about them and cheer for Kim? That's quite disturbing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes this PG-13-rated movie different from R-rated films.

  • Is the violence less graphic or upsetting? Why or why not? What impact does seeing this kind of violence have on teens?

  • Families can also discuss the ethical and moral lines that characters cross in the movie. Are Bryan's actions justified because he finds his daughter?

  • Kim and her friend partially to blame for their perilous dilemma? What mistakes did they make?

  • How are Americans portrayed in the film (versus Europeans)?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: January 30, 2009
  • On DVD or streaming: May 12, 2009
  • Cast: Famke Janssen , Liam Neeson , Maggie Grace
  • Director: Pierre Morel
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
  • Genre: Thriller
  • Run time: 94 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language
  • Last updated: September 17, 2023

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate