Analysis of the film: Taken, 2008
The evolution of action films such as Taken (Morel, 2008) laden with death and misanthropy arguably embodies the spirit of the characters of The Wild Bunch (1969).
In this effect a dehumanising element occurs in action films where non-speaking characters are little more than bodies for the protagonist to disassemble to further progress towards their goal.
Taken reflects this concept of unscrupulous brutality but skews it with a morality tale of a father intent on surpassing a series of seemingly impossible talks with a variety of obstacles both bureaucratic and criminal.
Through Bryan (the central character/protagonist) , we see an avatar of ultra-Americanism and a converse hyper-masculinity with the character depicted as thoroughly brutal to the point of shooting an unarmed woman, something otherwise considered cowardly, to reach his goal.
Bryan embodies a paradoxical hero; a banal super human, an everyman capable of powerful acts of destruction and espionage yet with a penchant for red wine and European beer.
A character with no time for the intrigues of high city culture who perceives the world within a xenophobic overview supposedly justified from his time with the C.I.A: “you haven’t seen what I’ve seen” (Morel, 2008).
His battles don’t limit him to struggles with human traffickers he also wages war with an uncaring bureaucrat. Through this we see an American perception of Europe which is presented as a superficial and pretentious place far too close to the east and therefore Islam and through this framework is conceived as an amalgamation of the antithesis of Americanism.
In this sense, he does not reflect the antiheroes of The Wild Bunch struggling to survive at the end of an era he in fact represents the villainous railroads the symptoms of capitalism and Americanism who through sheer ruthlessness and contemptible acts realise their goals.
Through his depiction of simplicity and gruffness Bryan is an avatar for the average American male to transpose themselves on to. An aspirational figure whose flaws of isolationism and paranoia are to be celebrated and not disavowed.
Through the treatment of Kim, we see a further morality tale, as she is a virgin she is spared the horrors of drugs and human trafficking whilst her more free spirited friend dies needle in hand in what can only be described as battery farm for sex workers. This is an extreme adulteration when comparing Taken to films such as The Virgin Spring (Bergman, 1960), and Funny Games; where innocence is no fail safe and provides no protection, in fact if anything it is a weakness to be preyed upon.
One could extrapolate that this is representative of the action movies measurement of Human Life, put simply some people are just unquestionably better than others and therefore more worthy of saving.