Steven Spielberg Presents Taken

Not that we believe (or we do) in abductions, UFO's etc. but in this case there is actually a story behind everything - and a compelling one. If you expect laser blasters and space fights you are in for a big disappointment, but let this not deter you from watching Taken. It is done very intelligently. The fiction parts are used to glue various pieces of UFO/abductions information/rumor that has been circulating since the forties.

The blend is very believable.

My bottom line - get it even if you are not a SF fan. You won't be sorry.

Al

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.