Advertised as a cross between the Bourne trilogy and Taken, Unknown promises to deliver what made those films such surprise successes. Combining adept filmmaking and unlikely action heroes (sound familiar?) with muted, overcast European locales and bone-snapping secret agents who may or may not have amnesia is a formula that, when done well, proves exciting enough to overcome the pitfalls of genre deja vu. Unknown, however, does well to remedy what made those films exceptions to the rule.
Though Taken proved what was merely hinted at in films like Star Wars: Episode I, Rob Roy and Darkman; that Oskar Schindler can kick some serious posterior. Unknown finds Neeson as Dr. Martin Harris, a less-than-dangerous doctor of biotechnology, attending a conference in the beautifully gauzy, gray city of Berlin with his wife Liz (Jones). This is all that’s offered before Dr. Harris’ cab takes a dive off a bridge, causing a nasty bump on the noggin and an annoying case of amnesia for the good doctor. Thus, the film plunges into familiar territory, Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Orphan) adequately directing this paint-by-numbers novel adaptation.
Neeson sets emotions to mildly-confused paranoia as his decidedly un-ninja doctor slowly regains memory, trying to put pieces of his life back together; unfortunately, those pieces refuse to go into place. His wife suddenly doesn’t know him anymore! (Or does she?) Aidan Quinn is now the real Dr Harris! (Or is he?) The cab driver (Kruger) who both caused his accident and saved his life acts weird when he stalks, er, tracks her down. (Or doesn’t he?) Frank Langella! (Or is he?)
And what goes well with intrigue? A helpless protagonist in the hospital with a villain disguised as a doctor. Dingy apartment fights followed by Mercedes Benz car chases pair nicely with espionage. For the final course? Assassination. Still, Neeson’s quest to suss out the truth from the lies is surprisingly subdued, even with these obligatory genre trappings meant to heighten the suspense.
Could be the muted visuals, cardboard-flat characters, and un-hyper-violence are an attempt to recreate the style of a time when a good story trumped spectacle. Too bad Unknown lacks both. (Or does it?) It does.
