Rude Awakening

Rating: 7/10 (16 March 2011)

If you liked the movie "Taken"(2008) with Liam Neeson as a former CIA operative saving his daughter in France from the mafia that kidnaps the girls and forced them into prostitution, you should like the new movie Unknown (2011) with Neeson in the title role of an American scientist, Dr. Martin Harris, who arrived with his young beautiful wife Beth (January Jones) in Berlin to give a speech on the biotechnology summit. Just minutes after arrival, Dr. Harris fell into a coma as a result of a car accident and after four days of coma awaking in a Berlin hospital, he found out that no one, including his own wife does not recognize him, and that his identity and his all life was taken by another person with the same name. If you are a fan of Neeson - the film should appeal to you. Neeson has tremendous screen presence and charisma. Looks like age is no obstacle to him. The cast also includes two beautiful actresses, January Jones and Diane Kruger. The scene between two veteran actors, Bruno Ganz and Frank Langella elevates the film above its genre. If you are a fan of the twisted thriller / mystery / action / suspense, and not just one but double or even triple twists and turns, you should not read this but run and watch the movie. :) Seriously, it is exciting, gripping and suspenseful film. It seemed predictable in the beginning but it surprised me with its revelations in the final part. I think the first film in what may become the series, "Leam Neeson's dangerous adventures in Europe", Taken is better because I truly rooted for Bryan/Neeson. Taken's twists and turns concerned more the identities of the "bad guys", and as questionable Bryan's actions were, I always wanted him to succeed and find his daughter before it was too late. Unknown is morally ambiguous. I think the title is very appropriate with the constant developments of the character as his memory of the events before his accident began coming back but the movie's got too many holes in the plot to make as convincing case for Dr. Harris as it was for Bryan Mills.
**********Major Spoilers. Don't read if you did not see the film. ******
Unknown makes you think that perhaps bumping one's head and felling into coma could actually help to clear the head in reality and to cure the very dangerous terrorists by changing their outlook completely. Unknown also suggests that no matter how carefully and thoroughly you plan the major secret operation, thinking that you predicted and backed up everything and everybody, there is always something you'd overlook or simply could not fathom.
*******End of Spoilers*************************************************
As its predecessor Taken, Unknown is enjoyable action/thrillers/mystery. Its plot may not be original -Frantic/Fugitive/Total Recall/Bourne Identity and last year's Shutter Island inevitably come to mind but good acting, Neeson's likability, fast and furious car chase and crash scenes and plenty twists and turns however implausible they are, made Unknown a lot of fun for me to watch in the theater last night.
In addition, the film can be recorded in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of deadly car crushes one character was involved in.