Taken/Hitman/Max Payne (UK-import)
Triple bill of fast-paced thrillers. In 'Taken' (2008) Liam Neeson stars as Bryan, a former CIA secret agent whose life revolves around his 17-year-old daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). A protective father, Bryan reluctantly agrees that Kim can go travelling in Europe with her friend, Amanda (Katie Cassidy). When Bryan's worst fears are realised and the pair are kidnapped in Paris by sex traffickers, the ex-CIA man has no option but to use his former spy skills to track them down and attempt a rescue. 'Hitman' (2007), based on the computer game of the same name, follows a professional assassin known only as Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant), who finds himself ensnared in a political conspiracy after carrying out a hit. The hunter becomes the hunted as 47 is chased across Eastern Europe by both Interpol and the Russian FSB, while, at the same time, trying to find out who set him up. Unexpectedly, the greatest threat to 47's survival may be the stirrings of his conscience and the alien emotions awakened in him by Nika (Olga Kurylenko), a beautiful woman wrapped up in the conspiracy and, consequently, 47's life. 'Max Payne' (2008), based on the 2001 video game, stars Mark Wahlberg as Max Payne, a New York cop whose family and partner were brutally murdered as part of a far-reaching political conspiracy. Embarking on a very personal and off-the-record investigation to find those responsible for the murders, Max ventures into the underworld and joins forces with assassin Mona Sax (Mila Kunis), who is out to avenge the death of her sister. The unlikely duo soon find themselves faced with some extremely powerful enemies.