MovieChat Forums > Taken (2009) Discussion > He didn't really want his daughter back

He didn't really want his daughter back

posted 10 years ago by Badgerman68
10 replies | jump to latest

It's made very clear that finding his daughter as quickly as possible is essential and must be done within 96 hours...

Rather than getting the French authorities involved and giving his daughter the best possible chance, he keeps quiet about it. It must have been at least 15 hours before he arrived in Paris and started his investigation. Then it turns out that he has a friend in some French 'intelligence' agency - if he really cared about his daughter, why didn't he at least give his old friend a call to get the investigation started?

The only possible reason is that he didn't really want the spoiled brat back - he was just a gun crazed loon using her as an excuse to go on a killing spree in Europe.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Badgerman68 10 years ago

But he didn't know that until much later on - long after arriving in Paris. My point still stands - if he really wanted to get her back he would've tried contacting the authorities or at least his friend.

[–] mikeyg24 10 years ago

I think you're very naive in what you think the authorities are permitted. What he knew was that 96 hours was the standard amount of time it took anybody to find her. The reason for this is not expressed in the movie but in reality it's because the authorities acting officially get bogged down with miles of red tape. For example:
Peter would have to have been arrested, what would they have arrested him for? And even if they did they would have had to question him which would have taken time. OK so they knew about the prostitutes at Port Du Clichée but they would have had to questioned the pimp and that would take time and probably yield nothing anyway. Even if it had they would have had to obtain warrants to search the construction site. If they had they would not have been permitted to question the girl found there immediately as her recovery would have been priority. Then by the time they got the address on Rue Paradis that was another warrant and questioning the men there would have taken time and again ultimately have been fruitless. The movie itself indirectly explains exactly why Bryan didn't notify the authorities and why people like Bryan Mills exist in the first place. They exist to cut corners and get the job done quick.

There's a moral to this story Del Boy but for the life of me I can't find it!

[–] Badgerman68 10 years ago

The 96 hours wasn't the 'standard amount of time' to find her it was the maximum length of time before she would be lost completely. As you say the red tape wouldn't help and would slow down any official investigation; but when the options are limited and there is a very narrow time margin he should use every possible means. And it doesn't get round Bryan not contacting a French friend who he knew from their days in the 'corner cutting' business until long after he arrived in Paris.

[–] mikeyg24 10 years ago

But the fact that he did get her back negates your point. Bryan knew he his way was best. As you say he went to his old friend when he had to but he was trained precisely so he didn't have to use the system with its rules and regulations. Working on his own he managed to save at least two girls that we know of and almost certainly closed down the construction site operation not to mention the big pile of dead bad guys including the head guy and one of his richest clients. I'm not sure how after actually seeing Bryan's way work best you can claim it wasn't whether the cops were corrupt or not.

I've had a lot of sobering thoughts in my time Del Boy, it's them that started me drinking!

[–] Badgerman68 10 years ago

It doesn't negate my point at all. He only rescued his daughter through the lucky chance that the bad guys took the maximum possible time to traffic the girls; so she was still there at the end of his killing spree.

Another huge clue that he doesn't want her back is in the most famous quote from this film: '...I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.' If he really cared about getting his daughter back he would've said '...I will look for you, I will find you, I will save my daughter and I will kill you.'

Clearly he had already given up any hope of rescuing her and so was just out for revenge-fuelled slaughter and mayhem.

By the way - I'm only partly trolling with this thread! I do think he should and would've called his friend in French Intelligence before setting out. It's more believable he would try to do that, it would've given an extra layer of depth to his subsequent betrayal and (if handled right) it could add to the tension and sense of urgency.

[–] conejo22 10 years ago

Great point - why did he not mention saving his daughter? His priorities were clearly elsewhere.

[–] cindyff49-14-675637 10 years ago

I can't believe what I just read. It sucks to be you. That sums it up.

[–] Karl Aksel 10 years ago

Simply put: going through the French authorities would have been a waste of time, and he didn't have any time to waste.

[–] Kent_Kainer 10 years ago

First I thought so too.
I wondered why he didnt contact the police.

But remember his previous job and the actions he took and things he said in this movie.
Then you figure out that even without a time limit and even with informed authorities hed go and do it his way. The fast, efficient and ruthless way.

I wondered why his old team buddies werent helping.

And btw, telling that inner security guy about his abducted daughter is a kind of informing an authority. But he didnt help him for known reasons. That bastard. Unbelieveable on top. But many things were not believeable.

---
Lincoln Lee: I lost a partner.
Peter Bishop: I lost a universe!