Taken was awesome. It is pretty ridiculous but it hard a strong story and interesting characters. It also raised awareness of sex trafficking.

It's easily one of the best simple action movies out there to say the least.
in fact, i just re-watched it yesterday (on Nov 30th 2016 (my previous re-watch was June 2nd 2014) and it held steady)). it's within my Top 115 movies (i.e. the link in my signature below lists them all) simply because there is only 115 movies currently that i give a 7.5-8/10 or higher.
it's one of the best movies of 2008.
but with that said i do agree it's 7.8/10 is a bit high for the average score (low 7's would be a bit better in my opinion) but then again it seems people on IMDb fling around 7/8/9/10 scores fairly often unlike myself as there is only 203 movies that managed to get a 7 or higher from me out of the 2,000+ total movies i have seen which is what i consider my favorite movies. i still enjoy movies i score a 6 but only mildly as counting all movies i scored in the 6 or higher range that comes out to about 575 movies out of the 2,000+ total movies i have seen. everything else is average/forgettable/thumbs down simply because the rest have no re-watch value and to me a movies true worth long term is whether it's a movie you want to re-watch from time to time as the years pass or not. if that's not obvious then ill state the obvious i ultimately rate movies based on how much i enjoy watching them and the further they get away from that the lower the rating. once a movie drops below a 6/10 it's Thumbs Down status from me as it's got no re-watch appeal.
It's a ridiculously high rating for such a dumb, generic, self-serious movie that is watchable but not very good.
while i agree it's average rating (i.e. 7.8/10 currently) is a bit high it's no where near a generic action movie. this one stands out from the pack and still holds up for me so far to this day as i just re-watched it, like i was saying above, yesterday on Nov 30th 2016 and it still holds steady and is within my Top 115 movies in general.

My Top 100-ish Movies of All-Time! =
http://goo.gl/EYFYdz

I love a movie that shows in very graphic detail ugly stupid Muslim bastards and ugly Euro-trash/Euro-crap bastards having the crap kicked out of them. The world seems full of degenerate bastards and ugly worthless immoral expendable pieces of garbage that are better off dead -much like the bastard trash that are in the movie "Taken." I love seeing them get their LONG, LONG, LONG, OVERDUE 'come-uppance.' The city which I happen to live in in (Portland, OR) is full of almost nothing but anti-American liberal ugly stupid dark-skinned bastard degenerate tattooed, body-pierced, abortion-loving, marijuana-smoking homosexual pieces of garbage and ugly crappy white trailer trash. I would love to see this entire city destroyed or see everyone in this city die very slow and excruciatingly painful deaths and be able to break all bones in everyone's bodies and castrate them in the most painful way ever conceived
There are so few 'REAL' enlightened people and Americans anywhere these days

I'm not sure if spamming was used; I reckon the case was that the general cinema-going public just fell for Morel's lazy cash grab. The director of this movie was clearly only set on making this film to further their career. They probably worked out the stuff that most action fans wanted from a film of the genre, and built their movie around those conventions. And the vast majority of the public, being the predictable flock that they are, fell for the tosh. So, I would say that no conjuring tricks were used here; just crafty, sly crowd-pleasing direction methods.

The rating stands for how a film compares to other films of it's genre. For instance there are some classic films that many consider masterpieces with a 7.9 rating. That doesn't mean that people consider "Taken" as good a film as A Luis Bunuel or Ingmar Bergman classic. "Taken" however IS one of the best movies..of it's genre; which is the thriller/espionage/action genre. It really is very well-made, and the pacing is really wonderful as well. I can understand why it got a high rating. This isn't even my type of movie, but I was riveted to this story from beginning to end.
Fabio Testi is GOD

I really enjoyed it. One of the best action films ever made I remember seeing it in the theater, and everyone applauding at the end, including myself (first time I've ever been in theater where that has happened). If that's not a sign of a great film, I don't know what is.
The Saw Is Family

I have to agree. The movie is ridiculously overrated. It has all the worst aspects of American 80s action movies without any of their charms like insanely over-the-top action and violence or cheesiness. It's also far too clich, silly and unrealistic to be a gritty 70s-style thriller.
Even the action I thought was rather pedestrian. Even the 'extended, harder cut' as it's called is almost totally bloodless with hardly any memorable action scenes. How many scenes do people actually remember other than the "particular set of skills" monologue?
It may have resonated with people due to the fear of their own children being kidnapped. Also Liam Neeson is in it.

7.9 is low for this movie, it should be higher. Just watched it again for about my 10th time, great show. Completely entertaining. Love it.

24 is about a knowledgeable, experienced spy fighting terrorism. Bourne is an amnesiac superspy who is fighting against the corrupt system who created him.
So Taken is more like 24.

Question: This movie seems to get a high rating, so I'm considering picking up a copy. However, the plot sounds cliched and an awful lot like 24, which I seem to be in the minority on because I didn't like the series. It wasn't slow, but it was kind of cheesy and unbelievable. I do, however, like the Bourne Trilogy and movies like Ronin. Unbelievable too? Perhaps, but they were a higher quality production. So, is Taken more like 24 or Jason Bourne or neither?

It is the perfect action movie in a way. Not the best, but very very good.

No idea how it's that high. It's got to the most overrated film on IMDb that isn't in the top 250. Maybe a 6.9 would've been worthy, even though that rating is still too generous.
Liam Neeson is an amazing actor, but his character was so unlikable. They made him about to be a cold blooded murderer killing people without mercy and then having the audacity to shoot an innocent housewife (okay, he did say she's okay, but come on). Another thing that bothered me is that he was rarely injured or in danger - even superheros got beaten and hurt. But no, not this guy. Who is 100% human. Seriously, how am I suppose to enjoy a movie where the main character is f-cking invincible? Please
I personally give this film a 4/10. If you want Liam Neeson in action, try Unknown, which is a far superior thriller film. At least in that film, Liam Neeson wasn't invincible and the threat he faced took a toll on him. Heck, that film should've been a 7.9. Unlike Taken, it wasn't just a mindless action film. It had psychological themes and good mystery. But oh well

Going on 450 MILLION users or half a billion, you read correctly, half a "BILLION" users! Bottom line..the masses have spoken!!! WOW!!!

Yes, it is overrated. I think a rating around 7 would be fair.

I know it's too low should be at least an 8.7

Completely agree with OP. Gave it a 2 and not even sure it deserves it. An insult to cinema.

it's a revenge fantasy that taps into primal human emotions. i'm surprised it's not higher.
i foudn it endlessly stupid but i guess i see the appeal on some level.

Awwww another rating whine.
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Lincoln Lee: I lost a partner.
Peter Bishop: I lost a universe!

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

To me, it's the best action movie made along with the original Die Hard, so 10/10 for me.

While I personally wouldn't give it more than a 7.5, I think it is by far one of the most thrilling action movies of the decade. Is it a silly movie devoid of originality? Sure, but it doesn't try to be anything other than an entertaining action picture. Plus, Liam Neeson gave us a very memorable action hero in this.
Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!

I absolutely loved this movie Gets very emotional and Liam Neeson in this is a GOOD!!!!!! TRUE MAN! A REAL MAN! Who loves his family and daughter, his child with true love and is willing to do EPIC Stuff for her safety and well being, so she can live and they can have fun together!
Just so simple. nothing else needed. like someone said, the movie gets you highly emotional. It's true that some of this stuff is totally possible, it's not common, but still. Like tourist and in-general people crimes, russian, polish, albanian, scum. No I am not saying this as racism, but in these movies clearly it's always a typical country or so, where the kidnappers/bad people are from.
This movie in MY HONEST, HUMBLE, 100 PERCENT (%) TruthFul Opinion DESERVES A RATING OF;
7.4/10 (on the imdb scale, considering classics and brilliant movies are 7.6+)

I watched it for the first time just now. And thought it was really good.
I don't rate films against those from other genres. It's unfair to pit Taken against, say, Citizen Kane.
But for it's genre, for the kind of film it is , Taken is a very good action film with strong characters. I gave it 9 out of 10

I gave it a generous 6/10.
Pretty cliched and rather silly overall. It does have brevity on it's side, though.