Well, we all love action-thriller films, and Taken is one of the best action thrillers that we have in the Hollywood market; action-thrillers not only provide us with a great adventure that it includes but also with tints of exciting and stirring plots and twists. And Taken, in this regard, is an action thriller film that is packed with exciting turns every second.
Taken is a 2008 action-thriller film that focuses on the story of a strong and determined CIA agent and father who puts the whole of his efforts into saving his 17-year-old daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris with her friends.
Bryan Mills is a former and retired Central Intelligence Agent who left the agency so to be with his daughter Kim in California. Kim, who lives with her mother, Lenore, and wealthy stepfather, convinces Byran to travel to Paris with her friend Amanda.
While arriving in Paris, the girls slip the information that they are living alone in Paris; with this information, the Albanian gang of human traffickers kidnaps the girls and with this, her father, Byran, when he comes to know this, speaks to one of the Kidnappers also promising to kill them if they do not let his daughter free and therefore with his CIA skills, Byran travels to Paris in search of her daughter while targeting the Kidnappers.
The action thriller is directed by Pierre Morel and written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, however, the astounding cast of the film includes Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Katie Cassidy, Leland Orser, and Holly Valance.
The determined and decisive father’s CIA skills are what make this action-thriller go beyond the scope of imagination for fans, and the intense, thrilling essence that each scene portrays is what makes this film ever cheering to see. However, 41 movies are exactly like Taken, which can be explored by fans who are seekers of action-thrilling genres.
1. Man on Fire (2004)
Man on Fire is a 2004 action-thriller film that resembles the plot of Taken. Just like in Taken, there is this determined father who goes on a search to find his daughter who is kidnapped, Man on Fire is another thrilling film that focuses on the same subject.
The film highlights the kidnappings that are becoming a new wave in Mexico, and in this urge of panic, John Creasy, who is a former CIA operative, is hired by Samuel Ramos on the recommendation of Rayburn, who is John’s old friend which thus brings him to Mexico City.
John is now thus the bodyguard of Samuel Ramos’s daughter Pita Ramous, but John is burned out with his life and job. He does not like working as a bodyguard and thus barely tolerates the child while being her bodyguard. Being a hard and cold person, he even ignores the curious questions asked by Pita regarding his perception of himself and his life.
But slowly, everything changes as John opens up to her and is now more involved in life’s thoughts and Pita’s talks. With his changing and bringing back to life happens, all of his purpose in life gets collapsed when Pita is kidnapped, and now he swears to kill everyone who is involved with her kidnapped. Therefore John goes on a mission to save Pita.
2. John Wick (2014)
John Wick is yet another action-thriller that resembles the blockbuster Taken; the film follows the story of retired John Wick, who goes on a surge to hunt down the man Losef Tarasov who broke into his home unexpectedly, thereby killing his puppy, who was gifted to him by his dead wife. Therefore John goes on an action-adventure journey to kill the man and the thugs who are majorly responsible for trouble in his life.
The film is directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. The star cast of John Wick includes Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe.
3. The Gunman (2015)
The Gunman is 2015’s best action-oriented thriller film that focuses on the story of Jim Terrier, who is a mercenary but the whole turn in his life comes in 2006 when he assassinates the minister of Mining of the Democratic Republic of Congo after getting orders from multinational mining companies.
But now the story is centred eight years later when Terrier has retired from being a mercenary, and now he and his people are the targets of the hit squad; therefore, in this surge of becoming a target, he must now fight to stay alive.
The film is directed and written by Pierre Morel and Don Macpherson and stars Sean Penn, Javier Bardem, Idris Elba, Mark Rylance, Jasmine Trinca, and Ray Winstone.
4. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Zero dark thirty is yet another American thriller that goes heavy on the action side. The film follows the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, through which Osama Bin Laden became the most wanted man in history. Thus the story of the film follows Maya as a fictional CIA Intelligence analyst who gets successful in locating Osama Bin Laden, and thus a nighttime strike is launched, killing Bin Laden.
The film is directed and written by Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal and thus has actors like Jessica Chastin, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Reda Kateb, Mark Strong, James Gandolfini, Kyle Chandler, and various others in brave roles.
5. Death Wish (2018)
Death Wish is also another American action thriller that can be added to your list. Death Wish is 2018’s action-packed thriller which highlights the story of Paul Kersey who is a Chicago-based doctor, and everything seems good in this surgeon’s life until the attacks occurred on his family, which made the doctor go on a mission to get revenge on the ones who were responsible for his attack sp to grant justice.
The film is one of the biggest action bangers that can be added to your list if you loved Taken, written and directed by Eli Roth and Joe Carnahan, starring Bruce Willis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Dean Norris, and Kimberly Elise.
6. The Gray Man (2022)
The Gary Man is 2022’s biggest action-thriller that follows the story of Six, who is the CIA’s most skilled operative, but the twist here comes when six accidentally undercovers some dark agency secrets, which lands him into trouble as his former colleague who is much of a psychopath named Lloyd Hansen put an on his head which sets Six onto a journey of assassination.
The film is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, and the film stars Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Rege-Jean Page, Wagner Moura, Julia Butters, Dhanush, Alfre Woodard, and Billy Bob Thornton.
7. The Bourne Identity (2002)
Another action-thriller film that comes onto the list is The Bourne Identity, where the role of action is double the amount of twist in the film. The film follows Jason Bourne, who is suffering from psychogenic amnesia, but cut to this, he is proficient and skilful in fighting, and therefore he goes on a self-search journey to discover his identity while also becoming involved in a conspiracy with the CIA.
The film is directed and written by Doug Liman and, Tony Gilroy, and William Blake Herron, with a star cast of Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Walton Goggins.
8. Haywire (2011)
Haywire is a 2011 action-thriller that again comes to the list whose plot resembles Taken; the plot of the film centres around Mallory Kane, a highly trained operative for a government security contractor. But the twist in her life comes when she frees a journalist, but that traps her path when she is betrayed and left dead in her agency; thus, now she is set on to vengeance when she uses her black-ops training to set a trap.
Haywire is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Gina Carano, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paxton, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas, and Michael Douglas.
9. The Grey (2011)
The Grey is an action plus survival thriller film just like Taken, in which several oil-men workers, including John Ottway, get stuck in the frozen wilderness of Alaska. Therefore as they trek and fight for their survival, they must stay strong and battle their moral injuries to ensure their survival in the freezing weather of Alaska.
The film is directed and written by Joe Carnahan, and a blockbuster star cast includes Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson, Nonso Anozie, and Dermot Mulroney.
10. Eagle eye (2008)
The Eagle eye is 2008’s biggest action-thrillers which focuses on the story of two strangers, Jerry Shaw and Rachel Holloman, as their lives suddenly turn upside down when they receive a threatening call from an unknown woman who uses information and communication technology to track them. Thus the two strangers are now set on a journey to save their life from the unknown woman who threatens their life.
The film is directed by D.J Caruso and starring star casts such as Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, and Billy Bob Thornton.
11. From Paris with Love (2010)
From Paris with Love is 2010’s best action-thrillers which portrays James Reese’s life as an ambassador in France, but his real dream is to work in the CIA. But one day, his luck overturns when he lands an assignment with Charlie Wax and everything changes in James’ life when he founds out that Charlie may be his only hope for survival after learning that some guys are after him.
It’s an English language french action-thriller directed by Pierre Morel and starring John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
12. Promising Young Woman (2020)
Promising Young Woman is a 2020 thriller film in which a young woman named Cassie gets on a journey to seek vengeance against those who crossed her life after being traumatized by the events which happened in her past life.
The film is directed and written by Emerald Fennell and stars Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Chris Lowell, Jennifer Coolidge, and Connie Britton.
13. Olympus has fallen (2013)
Olympus has fallen is an American action thriller film that focuses on the story of a North-Korean assault on the White House when the White House is surrounded by a terrorist attack, and thus U.S. President Benjamin Asher is attacked, the former Presidential secret service agent Mike Banning goes on a journey to rescue the President from the Kidnappers and in the whole surge Mike also finds himself trap in the whole sequence.
The film is directed and written by Antoine Fuqua and Creighton Rothenberger, and Katrin Benedikt starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Robert Forster, Cole Hauser, Ashley Judd, Melissa Leo, etc.
14. Dying of the Light (2014)
Dying of the Light is 2014’s American psychological action-thriller where a government agent suffers from dementia which leads him into retirement, but he is now on duty to kill a terrorist and thus embarks on a journey to kill that terrorist before he losses his memory from dementia.
The film is directed by Paul Schrader and stars a blockbuster star cast, including Nicolas Cage, Anton Yelchin, and Irene Jacob.
15. Point Blank (2010)
Point Blank is a French action-thriller where a man named Gilles Lellouche goes on a surge to save the lives of her kidnapped wife and unborn child after he finds himself in a huge trap set up by rival gangsters.
It is directed by Fred Cavaye and stars Gilles Lellouche, Roschdy Zem, Gerard Lanvin, and Elena Anaya.
16. A Day to Die (2022)
A Day to Die is 2022’s greatest action-thrillers that follows the story of Connor Connolly, who gets into a huge debt and thus has only one day to pay his compensation to Tyrone Pettis, but he, therefore, asks his old military operative crew led by Brice Mason so to get him two million dollars which can cause him a lot more loses in his life.
The film is directed by Wes Miller and stars Kevin Dillon, Bruce Willis, Gianni Capaldi, Brooke Butler, Leon, and Frank Grillo.
17. The Man from Nowhere (2010)
The Man from Nowhere is a South Korean action-thriller just like the blockbuster Taken; the film follows the plot of a shady man and a secret agent Tae Shik whose only source of understanding is with a girl named So-mi. But the turn here happens when the girl’s mother smuggles drugs for a gang, but the gang kidnaps both So-mi and her mother after realizing who Tae Shik is and thus demanding that he makes a drug delivery.
The South Korean action-thriller is directed and written by Lee Jeong-beam starring Kim Woo Bin, being South Korea’s highest-grossing film, it has broadened the horizons of the action-thriller genre.
18. Shooter (2007)
The shooter is an action-thriller focusing on the story of Bob Lee Swager, who, after leaving the military, returns into the service after government officials convince him to plot against the United States President. However, with the period, he realizes that he has been betrayed and is the target of all the conspiracy. Therefore he goes on a revenge journey against those powerful government officials in the world.
It is directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Jonathan Lemkin and stars Michael Pena, Danny Glover, Kate Mara, Levon Helm, and Ned Beatty.
19. Nobody (2021)
Nobody is yet another American action-thriller where Hutch Mansell can be seen in a fully-fledged role after when he fails to protect his family when two thieves break into his home at night. Therefore, now with all the gunfire and action-packed situations, he must save his wife and son from dangerous situations.
The film is directed and written by Ilya Naishuller and Derek Kolstad starring Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Aleksey Serebryakov, RZA, and Christopher Lloyd.
20. Harry Brown (2009)
Harry Brown is a 2009’s British action-thriller film that focuses on the story of Harry Brown, who is a retired Royal Marine who has his only friend Leonard Attwell and thus leads a lonely life. But when Leonard has killed, his whole life completely changes, after which Harry decides to take revenge.
Harry Brown is directed by Daniel Barber starring Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Jack O’Connell, and Liam Cunningham.
21. Peppermint (2018)
Peppermint is a 2018 action-thriller film that portrays a mother’s vengeance tale, played by Jennifer Garner after her daughter and husband are killed by a drug cartel, and thus the mother goes on a journey for revenge and thus transforms herself into a vigilante.
The action-thriller film is directed by Pierre Morel, starring the superstar Jennifer Graner, John Ortiz, John Gallagher Jr., Juan Pablo Raba, and Tyson Ritter.
22. Non-Stop (2014)
Non-Stop is yet another action-packed thriller that follows an ex-NYPD officer named Bill Marks, who is now a Federal Air Marshal who receives unknown threatening texts from a user while on an international flight from New York to London. The text reveals every second that someone on the flight will be executed, and thus now, the Federal Air Marshal must find the killer until financial demands are met.
The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and stars Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore.
23. Colombiana (2011)
Colombiana is a French English language action thriller which is based on a woman named Cataleya from Columbia, a nine-year-old girl in Colombia who goes on a journey of seeking revenge and is now on a journey to kill the drug lord after her family killed him.
The film is directed by Olivier Megaton and stars Zoe Saldana, Michael Vartan, Cliff Curtis, Lennie James, Callum Blue, and Jordi Molla.
24. The Foreigner (2017)
The Foreigner is a 2017 action-thriller film that portrays the story of a Chinese Nung man from London Based. Ngoc Minh Quan seeks revenge after his youngest daughter is killed in a terrorist bombing. And now Quan is on a journey to seek revenge for his daughter.
The Foreigner is directed by Martin Campbell and written by David Marconi, starring Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Michael McElhatton, Liu Tao, Charlie Murphy, Orla Brady, and Katie Leung.
25. The Equalizer (2014)
The Equalizer is yet another action-oriented thriller film that focuses on the DIA Intelligence Officer’s action to protect a teenager from the members of the Russian mafia to become a prostitute. Therefore the DIA Officer goes on a search journey to save the teenage girl.
The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chole Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, and Melissa Leo.
26. Blood Father (2016)
Blood Father is a 2016’s English-language French action thriller that is based on the revengeful journies of a father and daughter when they reunite so to protect the daughter from getting killed by drug dealers who are trying to kill her.
The film is directed and written by Jean-Francois Richet and Peter Craig starring Mel Gibson, Erin Moriarty, Diego Luna, Michael Parks, and William H. Macy.
27. 3 Days to Kill (2014)
3 Days to Kill is a 2014’s action-thriller film that follows the plot of a spy named Ethan Renner who, after deciding to give up his dangerous life and be close to his daughter and wife, is offered a lifesaving drug due to which he must complete one final mission of killing the terrorist.
This action-thriller is directed by McG and written by Luc Besson and Adi Hasak starring Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, Hailee Steinfeld, Connie Nielsen, Richard Sammel, and Eriq Ebouaney.
28. Unknown (2011)
Unknown is a 2011’s action-thriller that portrays the story of Dr. Martin Harris, who, after getting involved in a car accident, lands in a coma; his wife doesn’t recognize him, whereas some unusual things are happening to him, another man is using his identity, and since none believes in his claims, Dr. Martin now is thus on a journey to search the truth.
The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, including the cast of Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz, and Frank Langella.
29. A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)
A Walk Among the Tombstones is yet another American action thriller that follows the story of Matt Scudder, who is part of the NYPD working as a private detective. However, in this world of drug dealers and trafficking, his new client is a drug trafficker whose wife was kidnapped and murdered, and thus Matt now goes on a journey to find out the truth and catch the killers.
It is directed and written by Scott Frank and stars Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, David Harbour, and Boyd Holbrook.
30. Run All Night (2015)
Run All Night is 2015’s action-thriller which follows the action-packed tale of Jimmy Colon, who, after his son becomes a mob target, thus goes on the run with his son to make sure that nothing wrong winds up at their end.
It is directed and written by Jaume Collet-Serra and Brad Ingelsby and stars film stars such as Liam Neeson, Joel Kinnaman, Common, and Ed Harris.
31. Edge of Darkness (2010)
Edge of Darkness is a conspiracy-based action-thriller that follows a detective father, Thomas Craven, investigating the murder of his daughter, who is an activist and thus is ready to set on a journey to uncover her secret life, corporate conspiracy and government scandals while searching for her murders.
It is directed and written by Martin Campbell and William Monahan starring Mel Gibson and Ray Winstone.
32. The November Man (2014)
The November Man is also an action-thriller in the Hollywood game that focuses on the plot of a former CIA retired officer Peter Devereaux who so, to help a Russian agent, is pulled back into his CIA service, the Russian agent since he bears greater evidence of a corrupt Russian leader, and therefore Peter is assigned to retrieve the Russian agent.
The film is directed by Roger Donaldson and thus stars Pierce Brosnan, Luke Bracey, Olga Kurylenko, Bill Smitrovich, and Will Patton.
33. Stolen (2012)
Stolen is an action-thriller that goes on with Will Montgomery and Vincent Kinsey, who is preparing for a heist; however, the whole heist plan backfires, which leads to Will’s arrest, and with that, Vincent now chases Will demanding the heist money. Giving him only 12 hours to find $10 million and thus, in turn, save his daughter while also being consistently inspected by the FBI.
It is directed by Simon West, and the cast of Stolen includes Nicolas Cage, Danny Huston, Malin Akeman, M.C. Gainey, Sami Gayle, Mark Valley, and Josh Lucas.
34. Commando (1985)
Commando, which is a 1985 action-thriller film, is based on a retired special arms forces commander whose daughter, after being abducted by his former subordinates, goes on a journey to save her.
It is directed by Mark L. Lester, and it includes a blockbuster star cast, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Alyssa Milano, Vernon Wells, Bill Duke, and Dan Hedaya.
35. Leon: The Professional (1994)
Leon: The Professional is the English language-based action-thriller portraying the story of Leon, who is a professional hitman, and Mathilda Lando who is a twelve-year-old girl; her family is killed by a corrupt Drug Enforcement Administration agent Norman Stansfield, and thus Leon is on a mission, to find out the murders and search for the truth, while Mathilda also learns the hitman’s trade.
It is directed by Luc Besson and stars Jean Reno and Gary Oldman, and Natalie Portman.
36. Extraction (2020)
Extraction yet again comes to the list is just another Taken, and the film is based on an Australian black ops mercenary who is on the verge of saving the son of an Indian drug lord who has gotten Kidnapped. Therefore the black ops are now on a mission to save the son.
It is directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo and includes the star cast of Chris Hemsworth, Randeep Hooda, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Golshifteh Farahan, Pankaj Tripathi, and David Harbour.
37. Dead Man’s Shoes (2004)
Dead Man’s Shoes is a British psychological and action-thriller that focuses on Richard’s revenge. He comes home after his military service and wants payback for the local bullies who did worse things to his brother, and therefore he seeks a journey of revenge to seek justice for his brother.
It is directed by Shane Meadows and stars Paddy Considine, Toby Kebbell, Gary Stretch, and Stuart Wolfenden.
38. Oldboy (2003)
Oldboy is a South Korean action-thriller film that centers on the plot of Oh Dae-Su, who is imprisoned in a cell for 15 years that looks exactly like a hotel room, but when he is finally released, he finds himself trapped in loads of conspiracy and violence and is thus set on a journey to find his captor in five days.
It is directed and written by Park Chan-wook and is considered one of the best action thrillers for that genre lovers.
39. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Kill Bill is yet another action-thriller of the 2003’s era, which is focused on the bride who seeks revenge on the assassins and their leader, Bill, after they try to kill the bride, and therefore, she goes to Tokyo to battle the Yakuza.
It is directed by one of the iconic directors Quentin Tarantino and stars Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, and Vivica A. Fox and David Carradine.
40. The Prince (2014)
The Prince is an action-thriller that focuses on the story of Paul, a mechanic and a retired assassin who learns that her daughter is suddenly disappeared and therefore is now on a journey to find her. Thus being a retired assassin, he now must return to his old ways to find her daughter and rescue her from the enemies and find out the truth in regards to that.
It is directed by Brian A. Miller and includes the blockbuster star cast of Jason Patric, Bruce Wills, John Cusack, and Rain.
41. Erased (2012)
Erased is a Canadian-Belgian action-thriller that centers on the plot of Ben Logan who is an ex-CIA agent, and his daughter Amy who face a wide range of international conspiracy when his employers erase all records of his existence and thus terminate them as part of a huge conspiracy and thus both the duo are set on a journey to find out the real truth with action-packed turns every second.
It is directed by Philipp Stolzl and stars Aaron Eckhart and Olga Kurylenko.
