Liam Neeson managed to pull off the bad ass, tough guy father role in his previous blockbuster Taken and it looks like he’s trying to repeat its success in this movie, but can he do it again? Not really.
Unknown tells the story of Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) who gets involved in a car accident and forgets who he is. He then tries to recover his identity, and uncovers a conspiracy along the way.
Unknown has an unoriginal but interesting premise that is ultimately letdown by some simple flaws (unveiled really early in the movie). And when the mystery finally unravels, you somehow feel unsatisfied and wish there was more to it. But there isn’t. Other than that, the journey to the end is nothing to complain about, it is fast-paced and exciting but not enough to keep you glued to the edge of your seat from start to finish.
The actors do an alright job here, but unlike Taken, Liam Neeson’s age seems to be showing – maybe he really is getting older. Diane Kruger and January Jones provide the eye candy, and Bruno Ganz (the man who acts as Hitler in the widely parodied YouTube videos) does a good job of playing the role of an ex-Nazi spy.
Unknown doesn’t add anything new to the table, and in the realm of “memory recall” movies, there are many other movies you can enjoy more than this, but it’s not a bad film despite its flaws. That being said, it is entertaining and you won’t be disappointed as long as you’re not expecting too much. Unknown gets 6/10.