waste of talent

Rating: 1/10 (29 May 2011)

Jason Bourne meets Harrison Ford in "Frantic". Maybe that was the pitch though I doubt Polanski's '88 thriller would ring many bells with today's Hollywood green lighters. "Unknown" Liam Neeson is quoted as saying (IMDB) "Acting is invigorating. But I don't analyse it too much. It's like a dog smelling where it's going to do its toilet in the morning." Judging by this and other recent performances Mr Neeson will produce ordure at will. Diane Kruger has a brave stab at the beautiful-but-complex European babe so excellently portrayed by Emmanuelle Seigner and Franka Potente in the films mentioned earlier, but is let down badly by the stale material, laughable plot and the appallingly wooden acting of her main man, not to mention the sub-Sweeney awfulness of the baddies. But perhaps the most shocking waste here is the talent of Bruno Ganz and Frank Langella. Having to watch Bruno go through some truly terrible exposition when explaining to dimwitted Neeson what the Stasi was - "you mean the East German secret police??" - I had to shed a tear for this star of Wings of Desire. As for Langella, a man who gave a masterclass performance in Polanski's much underrated Ninth Gate, the best thing that can be said about him is how he wore his raincoat.
I can understand why older actors are keen to keep going and even getting caught up in nonsense like this for a hip young Spanish director of music videos might seem flattering and rejuvenating but it is a poor day for movie lovers when they are required to turn in work like this.
As for the subject of amnesia, it has boundless possibilities, even within the confines of a commercial thriller. But "Unknown" is not the answer and unknown is what this film will be on supermarket discount shelves in a few short months.