Rating: 
Summary: An absolutely brilliant sci-fi series
Review: Steven Spielberg's "Taken" is one of the most ambitious and successful miniseries ever filmed. While those expecting a special effects/action extravaganza might be disappointed, the viewer looking for a human-based, character-driven, thought-provoking science fiction story will find the film extremely rewarding. It balances the different time periods in which the story takes place admirably, not in a gimmicky way a la "Forrest Gump," but more organically, as the times are used to comment on the main story, and vice versa. The most admirable feature of the film is how the three families with which the story is concerned, interweave and interact throughout the decades. If you pay close attention, each character in each generation corresponds symbolically to his or her father or mother. Without giving away too much, you will notice that one character reenacts her own mother's marrying the wrong man and having an extramarital affair, and another character kills her father just as her father killed his. And these are only two examples of how complexly written and thematically strong the series is, as the focus is on genetics and how each generation reflects upon and improves (or worsens) from the one before. Although many complain about the length, 20 hours is the perfect amount of time for us to really get inside these characters' heads. It would have cost the series both sweep and depth to have made it any shorter. It also contains some wonderful flights of fancy, such as when an alien lures a young boy onto a ship by making itself appear like a character from his favorite book. There isn't a weak episode among the bunch, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an intelligent science-fiction story that has thrills aplenty but knows that the true importance lies in the characters.
Rating: 
Summary: I was instantly hooked....
Review: I was instantly hooked after watching the first episode of Stephen Spielbergs 10 part mini series Taken. A remarkable story about 3 families and their experiences with Aliens, which spans almost 50 years. Extradordinary writing, impressive special effects, and mostly strong performances from a cast of relative unknows. The best performances come from the adorable Dakota Fanning. This little girl gives a heartfelt, and moving performance as Allie Keys. Emily Bergl (Carrie 2: The Rage) also gives a strong, emotional peformance as Allie mother. Other noteworthy performances come from Adam Kaufman as Charlie and Joel Gretsh as Owen Crawford. There are a few things that bothered me which is why I gave it only 4 stars. Heather Donahue(Blair Witch Project girl) is absolutley atrocious, and she almost made me fast forward her scenes. Unbearable. Matt Frewer is also terrible, and way over the top, and his comedic skills are way out of place. Overall, the story was amazing, and I loved how the three families were all connected and the writer did a wonderful job at not confusing the audience, which could have happened in a 14 hr mini series. I definetly reccomend Taken. You won't be able to wait to see what happens next.
Rating: 
Summary: TAKEN isn't as good on a whole as it is ambitious.
Review: There is a point in the fourteen and a half hour mini-series TAKEN that you realize you're watching something truly great, and just about the same moment the momentum that carried the first half hits a brick wall and slides into mediocre. The first five episodes represent an excellent, well written, engaging mini-series that gets you hooked by the end of the first episode and makes you excited to see the next. A soap opera of alien abduction and government cover-up with richly drawn characters and some great production values, TAKEN takes a turn after episode five into an overly melodramatic crawler that lacks many of the aforementioned good qualities. The first half takes place between the 1940's and 80's and features some great plotlines and characterization, as well as superb fx and remarkable attenion to period detail. The remainder takes place in present day and has many lulling moments, and very little in the inventive storytelling utilized in parts one through five. On a whole TAKEN is pretty good and definitely worth the look at least for one viewing but keep in mind that for 14+ hours and for 100+ bucks (if you decide to purchase, I'm glad I didn't even though the DVD package is nice and sound and picture quality is really good), it's not as good as the sum of it's better parts, most of which take place early on. All and all TAKEN does entertain, but lacks what most television mini-series lack, and that is the devotion and execution of feature films. TAKEN ends up fizzling out, and thats a shame, because it definitely could've (and should've) been better.
Rating:
Summary: A Massive Undertaking that Really Hits the Mark
Review: Steven Spielberg, best known for movies like E.T. and Jaws, delivers a tour-de-force epic on a scale few "made-for-T.V." movies have ever reached. Taken, a mini-series originally developed for Sci-Fi, is a multi-generation story of three families, and their experiences with other-worldly beings. The story begins during World War II and continues up to present day, elaborately exploring the lives of people who have been abducted and others who would cover up such knowledge.The story is broken up into 10 episodes: 1.) "Beyond the Sky", set in 1947, the first episode introduces the audience to three families whose lives will be forever changed by alien abduction, goverment cover-ups, and a series of events is put into motion that will effect future generations of these families for years to come. 2.) "Jacob and Jesse", set in the early 50's, these two boys are introduced to the series. Jacob, a boy who is half alien/half human, is sought out by the military for his unique abilities. Jesse, the son of an abductee is taken for the first time. 3.) "High Hopes", set in the late 50's, the story continues with Owen Crawford, top officer behind the military's investigation into the U.F.O phenomenon, attempts to capture Jacob, and fails. Later, he is approached by Jesse Keys and discovers that both Jesse and his father have an alien implant in their brain. 4.) "Acid Test" Owen's sons learn of their father's involvement with the military cover up of extra-terrestrial contact when they discover the remains of the crashed ship in a safe within the father's office. 5.) "Maintenance" Eric Crawford takes over his father's work when Owen dies suddenly of a heart attack. He continues his father's search for Jacob Clarke and Jesse Keys, the latter of whom disappeared from inside a military bunker during one of his abduction incidents. 6.) "Charlie and Lisa" Charlie, the son of Jesse, and Lisa, daughter of Jacob, are brought together by their alien abductors, and Lisa conceives a child, a little girl with extraordinary powers. 7.) "God's Equation" Charlie and Lisa learn about their daughter Allie's powers while trapped in a dangerous situation. Mary Crawford, grand-daughter of Owen Crawford, learns of the little girl and begins to make plans to take her. 8.) "Dropping the Dishes" General Bears kidnaps Allie in an attempt to lure the aliens to him. Realizing that Allie is an alien/human hybrid, and knowing that the aliens protect their own, he beleives they will come for her. 9.) "John" Charlie and Lisa conspire to save Allie from the military, and in so-doing, they learn of their daughter's immense and amazing powers. 10.) "Taken" Allie learns who she really is-an alien/human hybrid, and she is forced to make the most difficult decision of her life, a choice that will forever change her life and that of her family. The series combines state-of-the-art special effects with a story that is both compelling, entertaining, and high spirited. Such a major undertaking might not have worked even 10 years ago, but with the use of computer animation, the fantastic world of "Taken" is brought beautifully to life. The story plays a little like an elaborate X-Files Episode, and not without good cause....the material is certainly similar. However, it is treated with a level of intelligence that really captures the imagination of the audience. Taken won the 2003 Emmy for best mini-series, an accomplishment well earned by the cast and crew of this enjoyable and massive film.
Rating:
Summary: genre fans should enjoy this
Review: Some have likened the nearly 15-hour miniseries "Taken" to "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" meets "The X-Files." That's not far off the mark. In fact, it is what this reviewer thought even before reading similar sentiments elsewhere. Featuring solid television production, good scripts, passable special effects and fantastic performances by a huge cast, "Taken" is a strong series chronicling 50 years of alien abduction and government conspiracies, all circling around three families. Fans of Spielberg's view on aliens and the X-Files' view on government secrecy and paranoia will likely enjoy this (though Spielberg's sweetness and light trumps the Files' jaded cynicism in the end). All ten episodes, each 90 minutes long, tie together to form one long narrative, though many of the episodes can serve well as standalone entertainment, too. It is the characters that keep the whole affair afloat, with family being the tie that binds three generations together. Some of the middle episodes are a bit slow, and the later installments rely too heavily on cliffhangers, but all in all viewers will want to keep watching well past bedtime. I was so pulled in, I watched the whole series in just three days. Most impressive is the cast, who turn in great performances throughout. Great makeup work ages the characters as the series moves forward, allowing us to see people live out 30-plus years of their life in a convincing fashion. Very engaging. Most impressive is the young Dakota Fanning. Pay attention to this one. She turns in a startling, deep, engaging, endearing performance. Take note, this is not Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking. What this is, is classic TV miniseries material. The production values are not nearly on par with those of Band of Brothers. The pacing is television pacing, not movie pacing (deliberate, not action-oriented). And little is shown that could not be shown on network television. None of this works against the series, either. Rarely in these 15 hours does it fail to compel. So do we get a dark view or light view of aliens? A bit of both, actually. We have dread and we have wonder. They are scary and they are wonderful. Questions of the aliens' intent always linger. Yes, questions are answered for those who watch all 15 hours, but other questions are left open, which is a must for a tale like this. I never felt gypped at being left with too many questions, nor did I ever feel too much was explained. The DVD set features nice packaging and good disc quality. The last disc of extras is sparse, with a glossy bit of hype disguised as a documentary, but it's better than nothing. So is "Taken" worth the steep price tag? That's a tough question to answer. For lovers of the aforementioned works, probably. You'll love the first viewing, and you'll watch it more than once. Not as dark as X-Files, nor as light as Close Encounters. For casual fans of the genre, well, a rental might be a good idea before taking the big plunge. Those looking for pure sci-fi, too, should proceed with caution; a special effects extravaganza this isn't.
Rating:
Summary: A Massive Undertaking that Really Hits the Mark
Review: Steven Spielberg, best known for movies like E.T. and Jaws, delivers a tour-de-force epic on a scale few "made-for-T.V." movies have ever reached. Taken, a mini-series originally developed for Sci-Fi, is a multi-generation story of three families, and their experiences with other-worldly beings. The story begins during World War II and continues up to present day, elaborately exploring the lives of people who have been abducted and others who would cover up such knowledge. The story is broken up into 10 episodes: 1.) "Beyond the Sky", set in 1947, the first episode introduces the audience to three families whose lives will be forever changed by alien abduction, goverment cover-ups, and a series of events is put into motion that will effect future generations of these families for years to come. 2.) "Jacob and Jesse", set in the early 50's, these two boys are introduced to the series. Jacob, a boy who is half alien/half human, is sought out by the military for his unique abilities. Jesse, the son of an abductee is taken for the first time. 3.) "High Hopes", set in the late 50's, the story continues with Owen Crawford, top officer behind the military's investigation into the U.F.O phenomenon, attempts to capture Jacob, and fails. Later, he is approached by Jesse Keys and discovers that both Jesse and his father have an alien implant in their brain. 4.) "Acid Test" Owen's sons learn of their father's involvement with the military cover up of extra-terrestrial contact when they discover the remains of the crashed ship in a safe within the father's office. 5.) "Maintenance" Eric Crawford takes over his father's work when Owen dies suddenly of a heart attack. He continues his father's search for Jacob Clarke and Jesse Keys, the latter of whom disappeared from inside a military bunker during one of his abduction incidents. 6.) "Charlie and Lisa" Charlie, the son of Jesse, and Lisa, daughter of Jacob, are brought together by their alien abductors, and Lisa conceives a child, a little girl with extraordinary powers. 7.) "God's Equation" Charlie and Lisa learn about their daughter Allie's powers while trapped in a dangerous situation. Mary Crawford, grand-daughter of Owen Crawford, learns of the little girl and begins to make plans to take her. 8.) "Dropping the Dishes" General Bears kidnaps Allie in an attempt to lure the aliens to him. Realizing that Allie is an alien/human hybrid, and knowing that the aliens protect their own, he beleives they will come for her. 9.) "John" Charlie and Lisa conspire to save Allie from the military, and in so-doing, they learn of their daughter's immense and amazing powers. 10.) "Taken" Allie learns who she really is-an alien/human hybrid, and she is forced to make the most difficult decision of her life, a choice that will forever change her life and that of her family. The series combines state-of-the-art special effects with a story that is both compelling, entertaining, and high spirited. Such a major undertaking might not have worked even 10 years ago, but with the use of computer animation, the fantastic world of "Taken" is brought beautifully to life. The story plays a little like an elaborate X-Files Episode, and not without good cause....the material is certainly similar. However, it is treated with a level of intelligence that really captures the imagination of the audience. Taken won the 2003 Emmy for best mini-series, an accomplishment well earned by the cast and crew of this enjoyable and massive film.
Rating:
Summary: Series finale compensates for the flaws.
Review: The series is a power-mix of everything UFO-Alien, it borrows heavily, and sometimes just steals ideas from Close Encounters, E.T., Independence Day, X-Files, 50's sci-fi movies, history and more. But don't expect to see many aliens, it's more about humans, and that is why it works. At first, I wasn't sure. But after the first two chaptes, I was hooked. I found a big flaw in the transition and aging of characters from chapter to chapter for two reasons, incompatible casting from child/teen to adult characters and not very convincing makeup. Also the way some key characters are eliminated from the plot is almost cartoonish. Very good performance by Joel Gretsch as the relentless Owen Crawford, and I found an interesting performace by Matt Frewer as the sarcastical and witty Dr. Chet Wakeman. But the best is cute, little Dakota Fanning, she steals the show. I hope Spielberg has more projects in mind for her potential tallent. 3/4 of the way the series starts to deviate dangerously, but falls back on track to a rewarding ending. Overall the series is very good. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: I long for Max Headroom
Review: I have something in common with alien abductees: `lost time.' Twenty hours of lost time, to be exact. Counting the four hours of self-flagellation for sitting through this painfully boring mini-series amounts to a whole day of my life which would have been better spent watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind twelve times. Obviously, most of the casting budget must have been spent on Dakota Fanning. With the exception of her performance, the acting was one step below a Lifetime made-for-tv melodrama. Heather Donahue was irritating enough for two hours in the Blair Witch Project but after ten hours of her self-conscious twitching and creepy bug-eyes, I was thrilled when it appeared the aliens took her. Alas, they gave her back. Matt Frewer's acting style , while being at least unique and imaginative, has the overall effect of fingernails on a chalkboard or an ice cream headache. You just want it to stop already. Why did I watch the whole twenty hours you might ask. I was hoping for an ending that would justify the money and effort put into this project and was sadly disappointed. The payoff was a simplistic and obvious religious analogy that was an insult to the intelligence of anyone over the age of six years old. They even threw in Peter's denial of knowing Jesus and the little girl's journal as the bible just in case you didn't `get it.' How dumb did they think this audience would be? Bottom line: watch Close Encounters again.and again.and again. For that matter, even an old episode of Max Headroom would be thirty minutes better spent and much more entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: POR FIN, VERE COMPLETA LA MINISERIE DE TAKEN....
Review: Si, por fin pude ver completa mi serie favorita! En Morelia, Michoacán, MEXICO, donde vivo la había visto incompleta en dos ocasiones y no lograba entender algunos puntos de su historia. Hoy gracias a este DVD, ya entendí la relación entre Kays, los Clarke y los Crawford.
I live in Morelia City, and I have watched this Miniserie in my TV twice, but could not understand it at all. Now, with the dvd I am able to
Rating:
Summary: As profound as the Sopranos, Roots, the Godfathers.
Review: You know that novel you read where each chapter ends on a note that it's impossible for you not to watch the next one to find out what happens? This is the TV version. When you think of the greatest dramatic television shows and movies of all-time, you think of very few. This is one of them, maybe THE best. You just become entranched, mesmerized by the story, characters, and plots as you watch how the family members from four different generations become entwined in one another. It gets better exponentially. If I would recommend one thing for a person to watch, it would be this series. A tip: write down everything the little girl says at the beginning of each series, sometimes at the end. They are such meaningful and true quotes about life and the nature of people. I wish I had.
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