A smart edge of your seat thriller that actually delivers the goods!

Rating: 8/10 (28 February 2011)

Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) has just landed in Berlin with his beautiful wife (January Jones) to attend a biotechnology submit. While at the airport, Harris accidentally leaves his briefcase on the luggage cart. Unaware of his actions, him and his wife get into their taxi and head for the hotel. Once they arrive, Harris realizes that his briefcase is missing and informs his wife to check into the hotel, while he searches the cab for his briefcase. With no luck, he grabs the first taxi and heads back to the airport with the hope of retrieving his briefcase. This is when this happy story takes a turn for the worst because the taxi swerves to avoid an accident and lands in a river. As the taxi collides off of a bridge, Harris bangs his head on the window and slips into a coma. Three days later, he awakes in a hospital with a foggy memory of the events that lead him to the hospital. Harris ventures out into Berlin to find his wife, only to find out that his wife as well as everyone else has no recollection of who he is. This is when he sets out to prove to everyone that he is, in fact, Dr. Martin Harris. A smart and edgy thriller ensues...
I felt the same way that everyone else did when I first saw the trailer for "Unknown." The movie looked a lot like "Taken" and when I went into the film, I really was expecting that. The great news is that, while the film takes place in another country just like in "Taken," the rest of the film is nothing like it. The story that takes place in "Unknown" has nothing to do with the one that occurs in "Taken" so get that out of your head now. I have read several reviews trying to compare the two films but as I said they have next to nothing in common. "Taken" was an action film from start to finish with very little story. "Unknown" is more of a suspense thriller with a solid story that is loaded with twists.
My question, however, is this, when did Liam Neeson become box office gold? I am not saying that in a negative way, because I always admired the man as an actor but after "Taken" his rise of stardom has grown ten-fold. Neeson, who has always had a wide array of talent, seems to be able to play every role from romantic comedies to a bad ass assassins. Neeson, has been acting since 1979 and has now found his market playing the lead role in such films as "Taken" and "Unknown." I guess to answer my own question is that Neeson became a huge star when he took on the genre of action thriller. What I like most about Neeson is that he has no problem going from nice guy to a complete bad ass in just a few scenes. The reason "Unknown" works as well as it does is because of Neeson in the lead role. He is believable throughout the entire film and his struggle to prove his identity feels real.
There are many scenes in "Unknown," where the audience may have to sustain some belief in order to follow the story. This sadly is the cliché of Hollywood to create unrealistic action scenes to keep the audience involved. The film, however, didn't need those scenes to work but seemed to be added to keep people who enjoy this genre happy. The thriller is a genre that leaves its audience at the edge of its seat. This film accomplishes this pretty early on and runs with it through the entire film. Once you get into the story, you are hooked or at least I was.
The simple idea of someone's identity being stolen is a subject that has always intrigued audiences. The topic itself has been done before several times and most films that have tackled the subject don't leave us with a good taste in our mouths. We live in an era where identity theft is a regular occurrence, therefore, allowing the viewer to truly understand what Harris is feeling. The best part of the film is simply the fact that the story doesn't just stop at a stolen identity topic but adds an interesting twist that keeps the film's audience wanting more. The pace of "Unknown" as well as the better than average storyline is what makes it stand out from other films that feature the whole "stolen identity" plot. The introduction of new characters as the story advances also helps the storyline built more suspense. Each new character introduces unravels another piece of the puzzle that "Unknown" sets us up to put together.
With films like "Unknown" doing well at the box office, I am happy to report that movie-goers may actually want films that actually try to make them think. While this movie has its normal action packed scenes, which feature unbelievable car chase sequences, the story is where it really stands out. "Unknown" may be a thriller that is made for a mainstream audience but it has enough there to keep a person who expects more from cinema to be happy. It's not a masterpiece by any definition but is definitely is one of the better thrillers with a solid story to come out of Hollywood in years. I think if Liam Neeson keeps it up, in a few more years he may actually make it to the big leagues to where people like Tom Cruise once sat. When watching "Unknown" please remember its not a sequel to "Taken" but rather a smart, edge of your seat thriller that will leave you feeling refreshed.
MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Unknown" is a 8 out of 10. This is one of the better action/suspense thrillers to come out of Hollywood in years.