LONDON ¨C It¡¯s hard to believe that, a decade ago, Liam Neeson was better known for prestige Oscar dramas than high-octane action blockbusters. The Academy Award nominee spent the first 30 years of his career making his name in films such as ¡°Kinsey¡± (2004), ¡°Rob Roy¡± (1995) and Steven Spielberg¡¯s celebrated ¡°Schindler¡¯s List¡± (1993), only briefly flirting with the world of blockbusters in George Lucas¡¯ ¡°Star Wars¡± prequels. In his mid-50s, however, he launched a second career of sorts with ¡°Taken,¡± the 2008 smash hit that reinvented the actor and spawned a new trend in older action stars.
Meeting Neeson, now 62, it¡¯s easy to see what producer Luc Besson saw in him all those years ago. With a towering stature and deep, authoritative voice, there¡¯s an unmistakable air of toughness about him, which is what probably drew millions to see ¡°Taken¡± and every Neeson-starring action film since.
The third installment of the ¡°Taken¡± franchise sees Neeson¡¯s character, ex-government operative Bryan Mills, on the run himself ¡ª accused of a crime he didn¡¯t commit and forced to draw upon a ¡°special set of skills¡± one last time to clear his name.
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