Synopsis: Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by assassins, he finds himself alone, tired, and on the run. On his own in a strange country, Martin seeks aid from an unlikely and reluctant source (Diane Kruger) as he plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.
Release Date: February 18, 2011 MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genre(s): Action,
Film Review
Production
When Dr. Martin Harris wakes up from a brief 4-day coma he suffers from slight memory loss. His wife is not with him and everything he believes to be true is contradicting itself. Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) is having a really bad trip to Berlin, and it is about to get worse. Set-up as a mystery thriller more than an action film, Unknown develops it’s story around what the viewer knows briefly from the beginning of the film (pre-amnesia) and then concocts a web of mystery over whether anything you saw was true. At one point in the film Martin asks his doctor if he “knows what it is like to lose your mind”…this is the basis for the entire story of Unknown. Martin must solve the mystery of who he is and why his life has been erased; or has it? The suspense consistently builds throughout as new pieces of the puzzle are revealed and valuable information uncovered in Martin’s own memories for he is the key to understanding everything. Martin finds help with an illegal immigrant Gina (Diane Kruger), as well as a former Eastern Germany Stasi member who is very good with “details”. Between the three characters there is coverage befitting a mystery, with a few good car chases and fights to keep your blood pumping. The film does suffer from multiple ending syndrome but it can easily be forgiven when the (actual) finale takes place as it is an excitable thrill to find out who Martin actually is, and the fates of all involved in this twisted conspiracy.
Acting
Liam Neeson is the unlikeliest of action hero’s. He wears sweater vests and has the soft look of a father when he smiles. He is not all muscles and bulk. His english is spoken clearly and without the use of slang terminology or improper grammar. He actually has a neck, and no tattoos are clearly visible. He has impeccable manners and carries himself like a simpler, less complicated, one-woman Bond. For all of these reasons, and more, Liam Neeson should not be playing an action hero; but he is, and he does it exceptionally well because of the aforementioned attributes. There is also his fantastic ability to drive recklessly, fight the good fight with his bare hands, find resources where none could be found, and do what needs to be done to be successful at the task at hand. Neeson is the gentleman’s action hero and his character Dr. Martin Harris in Unknown only cements this conclusion. As a man desperate to reclaim his life and solve the mystery that has turned it completely upside down he is frenetic but also extremely cool and composed. Martin is intelligent and does not need to rely on his brawn to keep the story interesting and thrilling but he can throw a punch better than anyone expected. Neeson carries Unknown because of his genuine appeal and our desire to see him find his happy ending, or at least figure out why his beautiful wife would ever deny knowing such a gentile but sexy man such as our gentleman Bond. Now if only we could do something about Diane Kruger’s (Gina) spastic accent and January Jones’ (Elizabeth Harris) soporific performance. (Good thing Dr. Martin Harris outshines them all.)
Cast and Crew
- Director(s): Jaume Collet-SerraJoel Silver
- Producer(s): Oliver ButcherStephen Cornwell
- Screenwriter(s): Liam Neeson (Dr. Martin Harris)Diane Kruger (Gina)January Jones (Elizabeth Harris)
- Story: Frank Langella (Rodney Cole)
- Cast: Aidan Quinn (Martin B.)Bruno Ganz (Jurgen)Sebastian Koch (Professor Bressler) Timothy AlversonFlavio Martinez LabianoRichard Bridgland
- Editor(s):
- Cinematographer: John Ottman & Alexander Rudd
- Production Designer(s):
- Costume Designer:
- Casting Director(s):
- Music Score:
- Music Performed By:
- Country Of Origin: JapanCanada