Unknown: Movie Review

One of the biggest fears we both have is the risk of forgetting our identities and our memories. Just the mere though of memory loss already scares us and thank God that even though we had bumped our heads a couple of times really hard, we never really had to battle amnesia. We assume forgetting yourself would basically alter the way you live - creepy right? "Unknown" tries to tackle the topic of amnesia and memory loss as its main character gets in an accident and wakes up in a coma just to discover that his wife does not recognize him and another man has replaced his identity. But having a horrifying plot does not mean you instantly have a thrilling and suspenseful action film. Read on to find out if we think "Unknown" was able to properly expound its basic premise.

Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakens from a coma after a car accident in Berlin just to discover that his wife (January Jones) does not recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by authorities thinking the crash has affected his mind and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Diane Kruger), Martin plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity and just how far he is willing to go to uncover the truth.

"Unknown" makes us a wee bit confused. On one end, we felt that "Unknown" was your typical action thriller film. The action sequences feel familiar even uninteresting at times. Although it had its moments, most of it was quite forgetful and it never builds up to a frantic pace. In fact, the film feels a little on the slow side choosing to pace itself with the story - not that we are actually complaining (more on this later). Liam Neeson was his typical self: bad-ass as an action star but quite demure when it comes to everything else and it did not work out with "Unknown". Would you have a reserved look knowing that your wife does not even remember or recognize you? Surely not! On the other hand though, "Unknown" feels fresh and unpredictable and this is mostly due to the wonderfully written story. In this element, "Unknown" truly catapults itself from a mediocre film to a good one. It will definitely surprise you. In all honesty, "Unknown" gave us mixed feelings but the unconventional storyline won over the action elements.

Rating: 3 and a half reels





Why you should watch it:
- the storyline was unpredictable and felt fresh

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- Liam Neeson was not as effective as he was in "Taken"
- the action sequences was mostly uninteresting and far few in between dialogues