In a sterile apartment, Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is sitting with a phone in his white-knuckled grip. The men on the other end are the ones who have just kidnapped his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). Instead of shouting or thrashing, Mills steadies himself, takes a breath, and speaks in a voice that cuts through silence like steel.“I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills.” After this, a formal and almost polite introduction, he ends the speech saying, “...but if you don’t (let my daughter go), I will look for you, I WILL find you, and I will kill you.”The line isn’t particularly grand. It isn’t exactly a neon-lit cinematic bluster. It’s a straightforward promise of what’s to come—and it’s very cold.In 2008, threats worked in a traditional way for the audience. This was new. So simple and straight that it stood out. Suddenly, a mid-budget thriller turned into a goosebumps-inducing movie. Every theater erupted in applause as Neeson’s voice demanded attention. In ninety seconds, a well-known actor from serious dramas had changed his brand.In this article, we are going to explore how this single monologue not only elevated a low-key European action movie but also changed the course of Neeson’s career.Liam Neeson’s Pre-Taken CareerNeeson was praised for his character’s depth and conscience before viewers imagined him brandishing a gun. His...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday