Fridae

Liam Neeson's new action film takes on unexpected poignancy because he recently lost his wife, Natasha Richardson. The actress died of brain injury caused by a skiing accident. Her untimely death made many weep, not least because she was a beloved and accomplished thespian too.

In Taken, Liam plays an ex-spy whose daughter (Maggie Grace from >Lost) is kidnapped by Albanian sex-slavers who want to sell her virginity to the highest bidder. No one, of course, should mess with an ex-spy. Before anyone can say "Bourne", Liam is off to find the culprits and plant bullets in their skulls�.

Director Pierre Morel is no stranger to the shake 'em-and-shoot 'em style of filmmaking. His debut actioner District 13 (2004) was a low-budget salute to stunts and guns. Taken, which comes with a bigger budget and high-profile writers (Luc Besson of Nikita fame and Robert Mark Kamen of the Transporter movies), is satisfyingly fast, furious and violent.

The wonder of it all is that Liam manages to look serious and convincing as he executes the chopsocky moves, reducing the growling baddies to bags of broken bones. A great actor, no doubt.

We mourn his loss.