"Taken 3" landed number 1 at the US Box-Office at $40.4 million!

“TAKEN 3” OPENS JANUARY 14 IN (PHILIPPPINES) CINEMAS



Undisputedly the world’s most well-loved father and protector, the latest Liam Neeson (as Bryan Mills) starrer “Taken 3” from its highly successful franchise landed number one at the US box-office this weekend at $40.4 million with his particular set of skills – love for family and love for hunting down those who tried to take his family.

 “Taken “3 sees Bryan facing his biggest challenge ever, as he deals with the aftershocks of his ex-wife’s murder, while evading pursuit from several law enforcement agencies, hunting down the real killers, and most of all, protecting his daughter Kim. “What makes TAKEN 3 a quintessential Taken movie is that, at its heart, it’s still about Bryan Mills doing everything in his power to save his family,” says Neeson. “That’s why these films resonate with a global audience, because at their core, they are about the love and sanctity of family and the lengths we’ll go to protect that.” Olivier Megaton’s return to the director’s chair for “Taken 3” was welcome news to the cast.

 “Olivier is phenomenally efficient and proficient with the camera. He always had multiple cameras working simultaneously, and that’s exciting,” says Liam Neeson. “He’s been able to not only maintain and expand upon Luc Besson’s vision, but bring his own unique touches to the franchise. He marries relentless action with true character and heart.” Megaton was always on the move, which the cast recognized at the end of the shoot by gifting him with his own director’s chair–which he had never used during production. “I’d never even seen it before, and the chair was still in the plastic bag from the factory,” he remembers.

 Megaton elected to shoot “Taken 3” on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, eschewing the digital format preferred by most of today’s filmmakers. “Everybody wants to shoot digital today, but I decided to go back to something more organic and to shoot on film,” he explains. “Movies today are losing that special quality available only with film.” Unlike the first two stories, “Taken 3” is set entirely in Los Angeles, giving the new film a very different look from its predecessors. “Everybody knows L.A., but seeing it through French eyes and a French sensibility is totally different. We choose different locations, and we shot the stunts differently,” notes Megaton.

 “Taken 3” opens January 14 in the Philippines from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Liam Neeson is back for the action packed "Taken 3"

BARRELS OF NO-HOLDS-BARRED ACTION SEQUENCE IN “TAKEN 3”

Everyone is clamoring for the 3rd installment of Taken, after watching 1 and 2. The movie has made Liam Neeson the action star that he is right now. The plot and twists of Taken has made me more excited to watch for the 3rd installment.

                Like a big typhoon, the action never stops in the third installment of the blockbuster franchise “Taken” that cemented Liam Neeson as cinema’s newest and most unexpected action hero.  “Taken 3” brings Liam Neeson’s character Bryan Mills to the extreme as his particular set of skills is pushed to the edge when his reconciliation with his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) is tragically cut short when she is brutally murdered.  Consumed with rage, and framed for the crime, he goes on the run to evade the relentless pursuit of the CIA, FBI and the police. For one last time, Mills must use his “particular set of skills,” to track down the real killers, exact his unique brand of justice, and protect the only thing that matters to him now – his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace).

             
                The world will once again cheer and root for the overprotective father, Mills, whose skills, forged through years of covert ops – continue to be put to the test long after his retirement from the CIA.  TAKEN 3 sees Bryan facing his biggest challenge ever, as he deals with the aftershocks of his ex-wife’s murder, while evading pursuit from several law enforcement agencies, hunting down the real killers, and most of all, protecting his daughter Kim.

                “What makes TAKEN 3 a quintessential Taken movie is that, at its heart, it’s still about Bryan Mills doing everything in his power to save his family,” says Neeson.  “That’s why these films resonate with a global audience, because at their core, they are about the love and sanctity of family and the lengths we’ll go to protect that.”

                Neeson elaborates on the films’ careful mix of action and drama: “Even though Bryan Mills is a guy with a ‘particular set of skills,’ he’s also a kind of everyman. People identify with his love of family. Parents will do anything for their kids and they see that in Bryan. For all his faults, he still is a very devoted father who’ll do anything for his child. But I think audiences also enjoy the fact that he bucks the system and doesn’t trust anyone in authority. And if he has to break the law, then he does.
                “The underlying stories in the Taken films are solid,” Neeson continues.  “We’ve tried to avoid doing anything in excess just to excite an audience. The triggers for that action have always been very strong. And it’s, of course, about Bryan Mills defending his family and protecting them, against all odds. You have that bedrock of a very stable relationship that’s being tested all the time. So once you have that base in place and audiences believe in that charge of love – especially between Bryan and his daughter Kim – you can take the action anywhere you want.”

That being said, Neeson notes that he enjoys the films’ non-stop action and the physicality of the role of Bryan Mills.  In terms of thrills, TAKEN 3 is the biggest Taken yet.  Highlights include lightning-fast fight sequences, an incredible freeway chase – and the film’s overall relentless pacing.

                “Making a movie is like solving a puzzle, like a Rubik’s cube,” adds director Olivier Megaton.  “At first, you have no idea how to attack these things. You have to figure out every element on almost every shot. If you try to be too clever, it’s too complex. So you look for simpler solutions. But in the end, everything clicks.”

                “Taken 3” opens Jauary 14 nationwide in cinemas across the Philippines from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.