Taken

I've seen all but the last segment of this mini-series and think it is great. Heather Donahue wonderfully portrays the evil investigator in hot pursuit, free of any scruples. Dakota Fanning is a star as she portrays the series hero, Ally, and narrates the story. The story itself draws on the current belief in Alien abduction, but in fact the real threat of being "taken" comes more from the scientists and military investigators who doggedly pursue their prey without any regard for the humanity of those they come into contact with, including the alien hybrids. Conversely, the alien hybrids have achieved a greater humanity than most of us ever will, culminating in Ally who not only feels intense sensitivity and compassion for people but has the power to act on it in ways impossible for us. Interestly, we identify with the hybrids as the pursued and as a those beings possessing those human qualities that we would most like to possess. That is what the series intended and is similar to "AI" in that regard. The film deals with our current mythology, which like all great and timeless mythologies explores our nature through an examination of the Gods and man and their interactions. Mythology changes though as it adapts to the conflicts human beings face in a particular moment in time. Spielberg is extremely important in that he has chronicled this changing mythology and our changing sense or ourselves beginning with "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" followed by "E.T." "Taken" is far darker, but so are we. It serves the purpose of all great mythology however by providing us the opportunity of self-examination.

This is a long series, but it kept my interest throughout. There are a few detours from the main plot, but it all contributes. I've seen miniseries that start out really well, then fizzle out at the end, "the Stand" being a good example. This series is rewarding to watch. The acting is good and the plot is consistent. It is not like the X-Files (which I do like), where the explanations never make sense. Taken takes us to a logical conclusion.

As a huge fan of "The X-Files" and related fare, one would think I would have viewed Steven Spielberg's "Taken" earlier than its ten-year anniversary. However, I was a bit skeptical of the entire concept (thinking of it as "just another alien show") and only began viewing when it was purchased by another family member. Boy, was I ever wrong about the course of this delightfully nuanced miniseries.

For a basic plot summary, "Taken" focuses on three families: the Clarkes, the Crawfords, & and the Keys. From the Roswell "crash" of the late 1940s until the "present day" (2002), this series tells the story of how the three families are intertwined both with each other and a mysterious alien presence stemming from that Roswell incident.

The thing to be aware of regarding this miniseries is that it is MUCH more about characters & family relationships than it is about aliens. Kind of like how "Band of Brothers" is as much about friendship and brotherhood as it is about war. While the "alien" angle is deeply embedded in the overall narrative, the extremely rich characters are easily what will make you keep watching for all ten episodes. From generation to generation, Spielberg weaves a compelling dramatic tale that always keeps you wondering what will happen next.

One word of warning: Do not be discouraged after the first 1-2 episodes, as this show takes a little bit of time to lay its own groundwork. Once you get to about the third episode, it starts really taking off to the point where you may finding yourself in "marathon mode" very quickly.

Overall, "Taken" can appeal to three primary audiences: those who just love a good science fiction yarn, those who prefer character dramas of the highest order, and those who can appreciate the generational aspect of the whole experience. In other words, Steven Spielberg does it again.

Despite itss slow parts, We all loved Close Encounters of The Third Kind...right? well imagine Taking Close Encounters and stretching it out into twelve episodes. Just imagine how slow it would be then. Well if done correctly, such an idea could work exceptionally well. hence, we have Taken, Spielberg's and Dreamworks' return to the sky and who or what is beyond. An outstanding mini-series, which when it wants to be can evoke every emotion. sometimes it's grim sometimes it's utterly heart-warming, though the series as a whole is dark, it has incredible mystique. My advice is that you dedicate one week of your life to watching taken, one episode a night, although it's good enough that you may go through it in only two or three nights.

Starting with the Roswell incident of 1947, Taken chronicles three generations of Three different families leading up to the present day. they all have a part in this incredible story of a visit from other beings, who want something from us which they have waited a long time for.

There are not many names in the cast, I'll say that. The only ones people may recognize are Datoka Fanning and Heather Donahue (Blair Witch). which I wouldn't say there are any award worthy performances, everybody is invested enough to be convincing, especially Fanning.

I guarantee that unless you have a tree second attention span, You will come away from Taken with an amazing Television experience.

Okay, this is for anybody who was wondering if they should watch "Taken" and decided to check out the IMDb message boards. Here's the main point: If you're looking for a movie that's all about weird alien stuff and is full of out-there special effects, this may not be for you. Sure, the aliens they showed were pretty cool-looking, but they're not the important part of the movie. The human characters are, particularly the ones in the Keys, Crawford, and Clarke families. Especially Ally. This series was a sneaky way of exposing people to heart-warming family stories. And now that I read that back, I understand why you would need to call it sci-fi for people to watch. I am a female, but I'm not the "chick flick" type. I like stories about the strange and unusual. But the sad thing is that strong and loving families, like the Clarkes, are just that these days. This movie is not about extraterrestrial beings. It's about people and the world we live in... and the world our parents and grandparents lived in. The 20 hours it took for this story to unfold was necessary, because it allowed us to get to know the characters. And once you feel like you really know them, you start to feel what the feel. And isn't that what makes a great movie? I mean, if a movie can make you feel emotions you haven't experienced in awhile, it's worth 20 hours to me. If you want real "sci-fi", I suggest X-Files.