Taken

Taken may refer to:

Film and television

Literature

Music

Up All Night (One Direction album)

Up All Night is the debut studio album by English-Irish group One Direction, released by Syco Records in November 2011 in Ireland and the United Kingdom, followed by a worldwide release during 2012. Four months after finishing third in the seventh series of British reality singing contest The X Factor in December 2010, One Direction began recording the album in Sweden, UK and the United States, working with a variety of writers and producers. The album is predominantly a pop music album which orientates into pop rock, dance-pop, teen pop and power pop. The album's lyrical content regards being young, relationships, heartbreak and empowerment. Staged in support of the album, One Direction performed the album's songs live on televised shows, at awards ceremonies, and during their worldwide Up All Night Tour.

The album received generally favourable reviews from contemporary music critics, many of whom appreciated the album's combination of melodic song craft and catchy, pop-oriented material that, while slickly produced, avoided the commercial cynicism and adult contemporary posturing of some of their '80s and '90s forebears. An international success, the album topped the charts in sixteen countries and, by December 2012, has sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The album bowed at number two on the UK Albums Chart and ultimately became the UK's fastest-selling debut album of 2011. Up All Night debuted to number one on the United States Billboard 200, selling 176,000 copies in its first week. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Up All Night was the third global best-selling album of 2012 with sales of 4.5 million copies.

Taken (film series)

The Taken film series is a series of English-language French action films beginning with Taken in 2008. All three films feature Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills.

Films

Taken (2008)

A retired CIA operative named Bryan Mills crosses the globe to rescue his 17-year-old daughter after she is kidnapped by human traffickers and sold into sexual slavery while traveling in France.

Taken 2 (2012)

Murad, the mob boss of the gang of human traffickers and father of Marko, whom Bryan had killed by electrocution, plans to capture Bryan, who is vacationing with his family in Turkey, and avenge his son's death.

Taken 3 (2015)

Bryan has been framed for the murder of his ex-wife, Lenore. He then sets out to clear his name by going after the real killers, while also eluding capture from U.S. authorities that he formerly worked for.

TV series

In September 2015, NBC ordered a prequel based on the series depicting a young Bryan Mills.

Characters and cast

Crew and other

Reception

Box office performance

Critical and public response

Undertow (2004 film)

Undertow is a 2004 thriller film directed by David Gordon Green, starring Jamie Bell, Devon Alan, Dermot Mulroney and Josh Lucas. Taking place in Georgia, the film tells the story of two boys pursued by a murderous uncle.

Undertow is Green's third feature film. Met with a mixed response from critics, the film received special recognition for excellence in filmmaking from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. In addition, Jamie Bell and Devon Alan won Young Artist Awards for their roles in the film.

Plot

Following the death of his wife Audrey, John Munn (Dermot Mulroney) moves with his two sons, mid-teen Chris Munn (Jamie Bell) and adolescent Tim Munn (Devon Alan), to a pig farm in rural Drees County, Georgia, where they lead a reclusive life.

Chris is the protagonist, a troubled teen rebelling against this life in ways where he is regularly picked up by the police. The story of the film is one of greed and family hatred. It begins when John's brother Deel (Josh Lucas) visits the Munn family, whom the two boys did not even know existed. Deel who has just been released from prison stirs up unease among them. It turns out that Deel wishes to reclaim a hoard of gold coins from John. He eventually finds them hidden behind John's family portrait. John refuses to give them up. In the ensuing struggle, Deel murders him. He tries to kill Chris and Tim too, but they escape him and run away from home. Chris brings the gold coins along with him.

Undertow (video game)

Undertow is an original video game developed by Chair Entertainment for the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade service.

Gameplay

Undertow features a 15 level campaign for single-player or co-op and two multiplayer modes for up to 16 players. Players select their race (Iron Marine, Nemoidian, Atlantean, or Elect) and unit type and are then launched into battle. Each of the four races features four unique, upgradeable unit types ranging in ability from the fast and agile to the large and powerful. Players have the ability to unlock and purchase unit upgrades as they acquire points. Each unit type has three levels of permanent upgrades.

Through conquest-style battles, players obtain points by killing enemies, accomplishing team goals, and capturing check points. Points and a variety of power-ups can be used to further upgrade unit abilities.

Plot

Undertow is set underwater, where an aquatic alien race known as the Elect launches an attack on the polar ice caps, causing them to melt and flood the planet. Most of the human race is decimated in the destruction. The remaining humans band together to reclaim the planet back from the alien race. The Iron Marines, an elite group of underwater divers, are sent to combat the alien threat. Elsewhere Captain Nemo and his followers become enraged at the oceanic disturbances, joining the fight. With the city of Atlantis thawed by the melting of the ice caps the Atlanteans also become a threat, vowing to reclaim the planet and rule again.

Undertow (song)

"Undertow" is a song by the American indie rock band Warpaint. It is the third track and lead single from the band's debut studio album The Fool, and was released on September 21, 2010 on Rough Trade Records. Described by the band as an homage to the Nirvana song "Polly", "Undertow" received favorable acclaim and placed in the United Kingdom's Independent Singles and Independent Breakers charts upon its release. A limited edition double A-side single was released as part of Record Store Day 2012.

Describing the origins of the song, bassist Jenny Lee Lindberg said "Undertow" developed from a bassline she and guitarist Theresa Wayman were working on. According to Lindberg, "[Wayman] just started singing the lyrics to 'Polly' over that song … instead of making that a cover … we said, 'well, write your own words to the song'." Lindberg added that if "you listen to the songs back-to-back they sound nothing alike" but referred to "Undertow" as "a bit of an homage to Kurt [Cobain] and Nirvana." A music video for "Undertow" was directed by Lindberg's sister and former Warpaint drummer Shannyn Sossamon.