Unknown (I) (2011) User Reviews

Despite his age, Neeson still has it in him

[jdkraus · 8/10 · 1 March 2011]

Multiple people have compared this to Neeson's 2008 release of "Taken." Both have a similar concept; Liam goes on a fast-paced journey to retrieve something special that has been taken from him. This time it is not his daughter; it is his mind. Unlike "Taken," "Unknown" is more of a suspense mystery than an action flick. There are some chases and fight scenes, but that is not the main focus. The movie's plot is focus and it is unique for it is unpredictable. We are confused like Neeson's character and there are times we don't know if he will succeed. There are multiple twists and unlike most mystery thrillers, it took me more than half through the film to figure it all out.

In short, "Unknown" is a fairly decent mystery thriller. Good performances. Good story for a mystery. Good music. Good cinematography—I particularly like the whole gray, dreary atmosphere that reflects the film's location's bleak weather. Good twists. Good suspense— the sound mixers must've had a kick in adding emphasis on sound effects to startle the audience. The one thing I will note is that Liam Neeson is really showing his age. This is not necessarily a bad thing; on the contrary, it helps his character out. It gets tiresome that Hollywood always uses the generic 30-something year old actor with smashing abs who is tossed into a terrible situation. It is nice to see an aging actor play an upper middle-aged man who has perhaps lost his mind while running away from people trying to kill him.

My rating: ***/****

An elegant thriller, with several unpredictable twists

[BeneCumb · 8/10 · 16 December 2012]

This century has seen Liam Neeson in real leading roles, when his character "permeates" the whole movie and is strong and quick-witted. Taken 1 and 2 are best known, Unknown has - for some reason or another - remained in their shadow. In my opinion, the script of the latter is much stronger, has more twists-turns and unpredictable moments - me being a fan and active viewer of crime thrillers could not guess what kind of background could Neeson's character Dr. Martin Harris really have. Sequence of the events is logical and chases are visually enjoyable. The ending in general is predictable, apart from the very last scene.

Well, all the cast is excellent, not only Liam Neeson; Diane Kruger and Bruno Ganz are the supporting actors more time on screen and they are really good. In short, Unknown is really worth watching - especially if you have not read spoilers :)

Bourne Identity meets The Commuter in The Twilight Zone

[Instant_Palmer · 7/10 · 3 January 2021]

Über talented ensemble of actors and the trademark style of the director delivers on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense, despite a preposterously convoluted story.

Director Jaume Collet-Serra ('The Commuter') surrounds the mature action star Liam Neeson with an ensemble of actors who deliver superb performances.

It all sets up to be a first-rate suspense film, except the story itself is like one of the more fantastical types Rod Serling might have used in his 'Twilight Zone' TV series that presses the boundary of believability.

Unknown delivers on "entertainment", and I recommend seeing the film, but leave your storyline expectations with the cloakroom before viewing.

Collet-Serra uses a similar style of suspense-film story telling seven years later in 2018's 'The Commuter', once again teaming with Neeson in the lead role - if you liked that movie, you will like this one as well, which is a notch or two better overall.

Middle Muddle

[pawanpunjabithewriter · 7/10 · 8 May 2022]

Unknown, honestly, in my opinion, is a less psychological version of The Shutter Island. The concept of Shutter Island is copied to create a Spy and Secret Agent movie. It does well, no doubt. It starts off well, too, and takes us on a surprising ride. Liam Neeson, as always, was exceptional, strong in his character. However, far from his best.

There is a middle muddle in the story. The first 30 minutes is engaging, the last 20 minutes is surprising. The middle, at times, gets complex. Could have done much better in the middle.

When I watch Liam Neeson movies, I tend to see the names could have been better considering the story. Here, I feel, Identity suits more.

Overall, it is just fine. A Bit of Ava in the middle, Non-stop in the first half, shutter island towards the end. Had I watched more Spy movies, must have given better examples. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of Secret Service Genre movies although crime genre keeps me engaging.

Finely Constructed Thriller Which Keeps You Guessing All the Way: Sort of Robert Ludlum Meets To Tell the Truth

[classicalsteve · 7/10 · 26 February 2011]

I guess if you really want to put an American in a harsh situation, have him lose his memory in a foreign country. For Americans that's probably the closest thing to Hell on Earth, right up there with being denied Monday Night Football in Hi-Def. (Just kidding) A few films have similar premises of an American being a fish out of his own waters: "the Bourne Identity", "Frantic", and "Seven Days Seven Nights". Hollywood is also replete with stories about people either losing their memories or simply being "lost" inside a political situation because of forces beyond their control, such as "the Changeling", Hitchcock's "Spellbound", "the Truman Show"; even "Total Recall" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" have similarities.

The one element that saves these movies is the premise of the main character being in essentially a "no win situation". Despite how contrived or "unrealistic" the whole plot is, if the character is interesting enough, and the situation compelling enough, then you tend to run with it. Part of the fun is learning the greater story along with the character. It may have become a rather over-used plot devise, but it tends to work, in part because pieces of the puzzle can be thrown at the character without him understanding what it means.

"Unknown" falls into this category of a character being trapped in a situation he does not completely understand, and the story is told almost entirely from the his point of view. After a near-death experience in Berlin, an American wakes up in a hospital room and his only knowledge is that he is Dr Martin Harris and he was there for a Biotech conference. But he has lost his identification along the way, and no one seems to believe him. He even returns to the hotel where he was supposed to be staying and finds his wife. Except his wife not only denies him but appears to be married to a man also by the name of Dr Martin Harris. Will the real Martin Harris please stand up? Starts to ring of a suspense version of the old television show "To Tell the Truth" where three people would claim they were the same person, and panelists would try to figure out who was the "real" person.

I don't see "and the nominees for Best Actor are Liam Neeson for Uknown" in the near future, but at the same time it really is Neeson who makes the entire film work. His honesty as an actor delivers a performance right on the money that kept me on the edge of my seat most of the way, to the point where I really wanted to know how he would get out of this. I never quite fell out of my chair, the way I did when I saw the original "the Bourne Identity" with Richard Chamberlain, but "Unknown" is first-rate entertainment of the escapist variety.

The two leading ladies also keep the entertainment level high, particularly January Jones (of Mad Men fame) who plays against type, as the loyal wife turned traitor. And Diane Kruger as a Bosnian refugee who is working in Berlin to eventually get her immigration papers reluctantly befriends Neeson and becomes an integral part of the plot. Roger Ebert in his review points out that a lot of things are too coincidental. Yeah...it's a suspense/action movie. So what else is new? If there's anything I can say about "Unknown" is you'll never find yourself looking at your watch, which is pretty high praise these days.

Fast, suspenseful, slick thriller. Yes, we have it seen it all before, but it is executed with THAT MUCH finesse, that it is still a joy to watch from beginning to end.

[imseeg · 7/10 · 28 March 2019]

Beforehand I didnt expect anything from this movie, I just wanted to watch a B-movie, with lots of action and thrills, to keep me awake. But I got more than I expected, and although I was sleepy when I started watching it, I was wide awake midway through. This is just another one of those unmistakable well made Liam Neeson thrillers.

If you liked the Liam Neeson Taken series then you will surely love this movie as well. It' s fast, suspenseful and with lots of slick and cool looking photography and editing. I mention these technical details, because lots of action movies just dont get it right when it comes to fastpaced action photography. This one does.

Liam Neeson travels abroad with his wife for business. He gets into a car accident by himself and when he wakes up in a hospital, someone else has taken his identity.This story might sound ridiculous, and for sure, it is a bit of a ridiculous story, but it is executed in such a way that is still quite suspenseful and captivating.

There are many resemblances with the Bourne movies. Memory loss, being chased by assasins in foreign countries (Germany), fast action sequences and lots of suspense. It is a really decent action thriller, which the fans of this genre will surely have a good time with. It is a bit better than the average action movie, although dont expect originality either...

Crafty Thriller!

[g-bodyl · 8/10 · 25 January 2013]

Liam Neeson is turning into quite an action star these days despite his advancing age. After starring in the surprise action hit Taken, Liam tries his hand at another similar movie except with a much fewer body count. Unknown is a crafty little thriller set in international lands and is much better than I expected it to be. I thought this would be almost like a sequel to Taken but what I got was a tense, smartly-written thriller.

This film is about a husband, Dr. Martin Harris and a wife, Liz who travels to Germany because of a press conference. After suffering in an accident, Martin wakes up to find out his whole world is turned upside down when he finds out his wife does not recognize him and an impostor has taken his place. Now, he has to face many challenges if he is to get things back to normal.

Liam Neeson is making a name for himself as an action star. He was pretty good to watch in this movie. The supporting cast led by January Jones, Diane Kruger, and Frank Langella is really good as well.

Overall, this is a tense thriller which is way better than the release date it had would suggest. This movie was slow at times and it reminded me greatly of Harrison Ford's Frantic, but despite some clichés, the cast and some tense moments rose this film above mediocrity. I rate this film 8/10.

Keeps your attention

[uorrett · 8 August 2011]

Anyone who has watched Liam Neeson's movies have grown accustom to a character that is always thrown into absurd situations but can still somehow use wit, power and skills to get himself out. Unknown offers the same formula but it still works. This movie caught my attention from the get go. I enjoy how Liam is believable in these roles and you forget that he's getting up there in age, if anything, he makes it seem like this is what any man his age is capable of. He is awaken from a coma to discover that his identity has been taken by someone else. Worst yet, his wife doesn't seem to recognize him. With the help of the woman that saved his life, in a country that is not his home, Liam seeks about to prove himself. This movie is action packed and keeps you on the edge while you try to figure out what is going on. And I feel the ending does not disappoint. Enjoyable, entertaining, action packed and thrilling!

Involving and well interpreted action-thriller

[yris2002 · 7/10 · 28 February 2011]

The movie sounds intriguing since from the beginning and keeps its sense of mystery and intrigue till the end: this is a good quality, once reminding Hitchcock's thrillers, with the difference that in "Unknown" the thrilling aspect cannot be separated from the frenzy typical of action movies. The result is an entertaining, involving pic, never losing its strong and quick rhythm and letting the viewer staying attached to the screen till the end. Set in a depressing Berlin covered by snow, always marked by the sad signs of a more or less distant past, a good photography gets to capture the overall gloomy atmosphere of the story and the mystery of a character whose vicissitudes seem as much incomprehensible as much needing some resolution, and an effective final twist as well. Liam Neeson plays skillfully, although not always sufficiently expressive, he gets to convey the sense of void of someone looking for some identity. A stand-out performance is offered by Bruno Ganz and also Diane Kruger supports Neeson quite well. Certainly not a masterpiece, but worth the ticket.

Pretty good

[wesawyournoobs · 8/10 · 22 March 2013]

I wanted to love this film, as I'm a big fan of Liam Neeson.

This was a pretty good movie. It was overall enjoyable to watch, and it had good twists to the story. It was action packed, and as such Neeson delivers. January Jones is, unfortunately, a terribly cold actress and is the same character as all of her other films. I do like Diane Kruger though, and she was fairly charming in this.

I enjoyed watching it. It's a good weekend, sit-down-and-enjoy thrill movie, as one would expect from its description. It is by no means a movie I'd recommend for its artistic merit, but it definitely delivers in the traditional thrill-seeker movie. The plot is pretty good as well, and well executed.

Lliam is great

[smith-sherrie22 · 7/10 · 3 February 2012]

Multiple people have compared this to Neeson's 2008 release of "Taken." Both have a similar concept; Liam goes on a fast-paced journey to retrieve something special that has been taken from him. This time it is not his daughter; it is his mind. Unlike "Taken," "Unknown" is more of a suspense mystery than an action flick. There are some chases and fight scenes, but that is not the main focus. The movie's plot is focus and it is unique for it is unpredictable. We are confused like Neeson's character and there are times we don't know if he will succeed. There are multiple twists and unlike most mystery thrillers, it took me more than half through the film to figure it all out.

In short, "Unknown" is a fairly decent mystery thriller. Good performances. Good story for a mystery. Good music. Good cinematography—I particularly like the whole gray, dreary atmosphere that reflects the film's location's bleak weather. Good twists. Good suspense— the sound mixers must've had a kick in adding emphasis on sound effects to startle the audience. The one thing I will note is that Liam Neeson is really showing his age. This is not necessarily a bad thing; on the contrary, it helps his character out. It gets tiresome that Hollywood always uses the generic 30-something year old actor with smashing abs who is tossed into a terrible situation. It is nice to see an aging actor play an upper middle-aged man who has perhaps lost his mind while running away from people trying to kill him.

It's all in the ending

[andybac · 8/10 · 18 February 2011]

An effective thriller with a good twist in the ending. Not since The Sixth Sense has a movie given me such a surprise at its ending. Liam Nieson keeps your attention fixed on the action throughout the movie, although some of his lines did not match the scenes or his character. If someone is trying to kill you, maybe some emotion would be shown. The car accident at the beginning is very realistic and makes Liams amnesia credible. The car chase scenes in the movie will also keep the action buffs happy, although the black car driven by the assassin is a bit too corny to believe . Bruno Ganz as an aging former Stasi agent gives a stand-out performance and Diane Kruger supports Nieson without the usual Hollywood theme of girl following for hero. Maybe its because Nieson is old enough to be her father. This film is no masterpiece but if your looking for a couple of hours entertainment with an interesting ending this will fit the bill.

Worth staying known

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 24 January 2018]

'Unknown' won't be everybody's cup of tea, something that is clear from reading the reviews and the mixed critical reception for it. It did have good potential, with an idea that although very familiar seemed interesting and the always watchable (and more often than not very good) Liam Neeson is enough to peak anyone's interest.

Potential that wasn't quite lived up to fully. Enough of 'Unknown' does work, or at least to me it did (not everybody will agree and that's fine by me), but also from personal opinion what could have been a pretty good film turned out to be an above average but uneven one that could have done much more with what it had. It entertains and intrigues, but doesn't wow.

Mostly 'Unknown' is a good looking film. the cinematography is slick and stylish, that and the suitably bleak setting often adding to the atmosphere created, and the lighting is moody and neither garish or drab. Editing is mostly tight. It's nicely scored, not intrusive but having presence, and the direction is solid.

There is enough taut suspense and fun to keep one gripped and a few interesting twists. The action excites and the more dramatic scenes don't fall into the trap of losing momentum. Liam Neeson is likeable and commanding, while charming Diane Kruger and an immensely engaging Bruno Ganz as the most interesting character fare best of the rest of the cast. Frank Langhella similarly makes his mark, although his role is small.

Sadly, there are exceptions to the acting, with Aidan Quinn blandly uncharismatic in his role. Worse is January Jones, playing her character as too much of the frostiest ice queen which to me seemed a wildly inappropriate approach to her character. The characters generally are pretty sketchy and too much of the dialogue is hammy and vague.

While enough of the film grips, it does get preposterous, credibility-straining and less clear in story in the later stages up until the final twist and ending that is neither clever, original or satisfying. In the busier moments, the photography/editing tended to go wayward and look rushed rather than the controlled and slick film most of the film has.

In summary, decent if unexceptional film that's worth staying known. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Absolute Rubbish

[bob-lambert · 1/10 · 6 March 2011]

An average story with some limited potential, but ruined by Liam Neeson's wooden acting, and ruined even more by some ridiculous script and plot elements. The lack of common sense displayed by any of the characters is even worse than in Taken, if such a thing is possible. I don't want to totally spoil the plot in case you still decide to watch this film, but let me give you three examples:

1. Neeson's character fights a man who attacks him, and eventually the man is overcome. Just before the assailant dies, Neeson bangs him against the floor demanding to know who he is, and who sent him. The man dies, saying nothing. Now, any normal person would go through the dead man's pockets for ID or for any other clue as to his purpose or identity. Equally, given his lack of cash at the time, you would expect Neeson simply to grab the dead man's wallet. You would also expect him to take the man's gun - after all his equally vicious partner is still armed and at large. What does Neeson's character do? Grab a notebook (essential to the plot, but he didn't know it at the time), then run away. Unknown 1 - Common Sense 0

2. Neeson and his female companion escape in a borrowed Taxi - a Mercedes saloon. The second armed assailant follows in a much larger and faster Mercedes 4x4. Ignore the ridiculous sound effects as Neeson repeatedly changes gear (note to sound effects: Mercedes saloon taxis do not have gearchange mechanisms that sound like Nascar sequential boxes). It is clear that the assailant's car is quicker and heavier, yet Neeson continues to try to outdrag him and barge him off the road. At no point does he do the obvious thing - let the man get slightly ahead (so Neeson's car is in his blind spot), then brake hard and take the assailant by surprise by turning left / right / U-turning, not even when the assailant is on the opposite side of the road, or behind a set of pillars where he couldn't react quickly even if he spotted the braking manoeuvre. Unknown 2 - Common Sense 0

3. Neeson's character retrieves a briefcase that contains documents vital to the plot, and to his identity. He has spent most of the film looking for this information, yet having found it what does he do? Set about proving his case? Call the investigator working for him to let him know? Go to the Authorities? Put the passport safely in his inside pocket, and lock the rest of the documents in his briefcase then put it in a safe place? No. In spite of being chased, shot at, and set up by various people, and in spite of still having no idea who the good guys and bad guys might be, or how many of them there are, or how to identify them, he sits at a table in a café, alternately waving his passport around or gazing at it for a few minutes, with the briefcase open and in full view on a chair beside him, inviting any passing bad guy to take and destroy the passport and the rest of the documents and other evidence. Unknown 3 - Common Sense 0

This is just the tip of the iceberg. The whole script is littered with scenes where any sensible person would have done almost entirely the opposite of what Neeson's character does. I'm not talking about suspension of disbelief for the basic plot (which I'm broadly quite happy with - after all, it's fiction for the purpose of entertainment), but characters who just do stupid things. What's more annoying is that the plot would have worked just as well if the characters had done sensible things - the stupid actions weren't vital to any of the key plot elements.

A waste of an afternoon. If it had been on TV I'd have turned it off and done the washing up instead.

Questionable medical detail

[drmbt48 · 10 September 2011]

This may be a spoiler for you, so read no further unless you have seen the film and can understand what I am talking about. Typically, a patient with a head injury and memory loss has primarily short-term memory loss, while retaining long-term (which is how he knows him name, for instance, and whether he is actually married). This man's memory loss is the opposite - he knows his (phony) name, insists that he is married to his fellow spy, which he is not, but does not remember what his real occupation is and the bad things he has done in the past. Works for the plot, but is medically inaccurate. I also question why his journal, which must have been in his pocket when he went into the river, looks only slightly water-damaged, and the ink isn't smudged at all. Please!

Bourne Again

[CryptoGuy · 7/10 · 22 February 2011]

Unknown is good, but not great. It's worth a go at the theatre, but if you're expecting Taken, prepare for disappointment.

Liam Neeson is on top, giving a spotless performance. He is becoming more iconic and, therefore, his characters are starting to look the same. Not a bad thing if you're an actor (because you'll get more work and more money), but it can get tiresome for the audience. Fortunately, I'm not one of them. I enjoy Neeson in just about everything I see him in. Good for me and good for him as I'm sure the majority of movie-goers would agree.

Unknown is all three Bourne movies tied up in one. It's great for those that don't have the patience for a long wrap-up. There is a lot of detective work and very little action; however, when there is action, it is good, including a hair-raising car chase. The ending is weak, but hey, it's Hollywood. When was the last time you saw a great ending? Unknown is worth 8-9 bucks. Just be glad there isn't a 3D version for you to pay $15 for.

Jason Bourne's retarded cousin

[Rat_27 · 6/10 · 23 June 2011]

This movie would have felt more original before Jason Bourne hit the screen, but we already have one black-op operative with amnesia out there. I truly wonder if anyone mentioned the similarities when this being proposed. Granted, there is a good plot twist when he is told who and what he is, but smart people would have noticed something wrong when he drives like a professional, and fights as if he'd been trained to. Just like Bourne. I did not find very many original concepts in this movie, and once I make the comparison to JB (sorry, I mean Bourne, not James Bond or Jack Bauer ... JB is just a good set of initials for this sort of thing I guess!) - I kept thinking that there was more ingenuity in the Bourne movies, and a lot more investment in character development. This movie is watchable. ... Barely. And I have no desire to watch it again.

Intriguing thriller but too many plot holes

[adamonIMDb · 6/10 · 30 April 2016]

'Unknown' is a decent enough thriller that keeps you interested and guessing until the end. The story has potential but is ultimately let down by some far-fetched scenarios and plot holes.

In the opening few scenes alone there's one coincidence too many - Dr. Harris forgets his suitcase, crashes into a river on his way to retrieve it (after a container falls off the vehicle in front), and is then saved by a taxi driver who goes on to risk her own life (again) to help him find out who he is.

I can't say that I didn't enjoy 'Unknown', it was a good 2 hours of entertainment, but it would have been a lot more enjoyable if it was believable too.

Good twist to an old plot

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 7 July 2011]

A man (Liam Neeson) is in a horrible accident, and when he recovers, no one knows who he is, including his wife, in "Unknown," a 2011 film starring Liam Neeson, January Jones, Diane Kruger, Aiden Quinn, and Frank Langella.

We've seen this plot, or a derivation thereof, many times: the man who disappears and everyone denies his existence to the person who accompanied him (So Long at the Fair, Dangerous Crossing), or the man who suddenly isn't who he says he is (The Net). The plot of "Unknown" is the latter, and Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) attempts to investigate why someone (Aiden Quinn) is now Dr. Martin Harris and with his wife (January Jones). To do this, Harris must first find the taxi driver who saved his life (Kruger). Meanwhile, he desperately tries to reach a professor (Frank Langella) back at his college who can verify his identity.

This type of film, when done well, as this one was, moves quickly and has lots of actions in order to cover up the plot holes. There usually are some, but if the film is good, one doesn't mind. I have to say I really enjoyed this film, filmed mostly in and around Berlin. Good performances, very exciting, a couple of dandy car chases, and a neat twist. Highly recommended.

Going Out of His Head

[wes-connors · 6/10 · 20 July 2013]

Invited to Berlin for an important biotechnology conference, doctor Liam Neeson (as Martin Harris) is in a freakish taxi accident. He is rescued from a watery crash by eye-catching cab-driver Diane Kruger (as Gina). She disappears after Mr. Neeson is given life support, because Ms. Kruger is an illegal alien from Bosnia and doesn't want to be exported. Neeson awakens in a hospital after a four-day coma. His memory is foggy. Going back to his hotel, Neeson finds beautiful blonde wife January Jones (as Elizabeth "Liz" Harris) married to Aidan Quinn (also as Martin Harris). Either Neeson isn't "Harris" or someone has stolen his identity...

Making it more mysterious is the fact that Ms. Jones doesn't recognize her husband is Neeson, although we've seen them together before the accident. Neeson has no identification and only a little money. He decides to find rescuer Kruger and see if she remembers anything. Neeson also asks former (East) German secret agent Bruno Ganz (as Ernst Jurgen) for help. He looks for sneaky old acquaintance Frank Langella (as Rodney Cole). The plot thickens to the point where you lose interest, but "Unknown" director Jaume Collet-Serra does keep you going through the running time. It's a thrilling motion picture with well-produced action.

****** Unknown (2/16/11) Jaume Collet-Serra ~ Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn

Great Thriller with a Surprising Plot Point

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 12 June 2011]

The researcher Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his wife Elizabeth Harris (January Jones) arrive in the airport of Berlin to participate in the Biotechnology Global Summit. When they take a cab to the Hotel Adlen in the Central Berlin, the taxi driver forgets his briefcase in the kart. While Liz is in the check-in, Martin discovers that his briefcase is missing and he immediately takes a cab back to the airport. During the route, there is an accident and the taxi fall off the bridge into the river, but the driver Gina (Diane Kruger) rescues Martin and saves him.

Martin awakes in the hospital after four days in coma and his Dr. Farge (Karl Markovics) advises him to stay in the hospital since he could be deluded due to his trauma on the head. However, Martin forces the doctor to discharge him and he goes to the hotel. Without any document, Martin is hold by the security of the hotel; but he sees Liz in the hall and the chief of security agrees to go with him to meet his wife. However, she tells that she does not know him; further, she presents her husband, Dr. Martin Harris, to them. Martin goes to the police and tells that the other man is an impersonator. But Martin can not prove who he is since he has no documents and it is Thanksgiving in North America and he can not locate his old friend Dr. Rodney Cole (Frank Langella). Without any credibility, Martin is forced to return to the hospital; but when he is attacked by a stranger the kills his Nurse Gretchen Erfurt (Eva Löbau), Martin realizes that he is involved in a huge conspiracy and nobody believes on him.

"Unknown" is another great thriller with Liam Neeson with a surprising plot point. The intriguing story seems to have flaws, but when the mystery is solved, everything has an explanation. Everything works in the thriller: performances, cinematography, music score and specially the twist.

The fifty-nine year-old Liam Neeson is impressively youthful and fits perfectly to the role of a man that loses part of his recollections, and the gorgeous Diane Kruger is excellent as usual. Despite their difference of ages, they are are convincing as a couple. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Desconhecido" ("Unknown")

Nail-biting and exciting thriller stunningly directed by the Spanish filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 13 May 2012]

Action movie with plenty of thrills , suspense , intrigue , twists and turns . It deals with a biochemist named Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his pretty wife (January Jones) arrive in Berlin for a conference at which a scientist (Sebastian Koch) and his controversial Arab funder (Hamada) will announce breakthrough research about plans to revolutionize food production . After a car accident Martin awakens from a coma , only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one , not even his wife , believes him . With the help of a young woman (Diane Kruger) , he sets out to prove who he is . He confronts enemies in order to find out location his own identity , but someone is still after him and is forced to take up violent means to survive , being chased by strange pursuers . He takes the law on his own hands and acting as a desperate person . Then Martin goes to see the private detective, Ernst Jurgen (Bruno Ganz), a former Stasi officer who helps him .

This exciting film contains suspense , thrills , noisy action, shootouts , violent fights and plot twists . From start to final the frantic action and fast-movement is unstopped . Liam Neeson gives a top-notch acting as a man without identification and with gaps in his memory . Gorgeous actresses as January Jones playing his wife and Diane Kruger as a cab woman accompany efficiently to starring . Good support cast with excellent German actors as Bruno Ganz and Sebastian Koch , and American as Frank Langella and Aidan Quinn . Colorful cinematography by cameraman Flavio Martinez Labiano, Collet-Sierra's regular, using Steadicam and with numerous locations from Berlin . The musician John Ottman composes a stirring , moving soundtrack fitting to frenetic action . Lavishly produced, including spectacular scenes, by the successful American producer Joel Silver . The flick was compellingly directed by Jaume Collet-Serra . Collet is an expert director of terror movies as ¨Orphan¨, ¨House of wax¨ and for TV , ¨The river¨ . Rating : Better than average, well worth seeing . The picture will appeal to Liam Neeson fans and explosive action aficionados. Better than average. Worthwhile seeing.

Not a bad action/drama - a good time at the movies

[socrates99 · 9/10 · 18 February 2011]

It's one thing to be told not to think too hard about what you're about to see, it's another to be helped enormously in that task by a skilled director employing equally skilled actors. All the principals here are in top notch form and, though I enjoy trying to measure how much license was taken by a screenplay, this film never once made me feel cheated or resentful.

Is it a brilliant film? Probably not, but it's devilishly entertaining. The action scenes here are matched by the quiet drama scenes and that's unusual. I don't really think either sex can really claim it entirely.

The director's done a very good job of creating the right mood and telling the story in such a way that the actors can do their work, unimpeded by unrealistic run ups to their scenes. This movie made me feel as if I've just visited Berlin much more effectively than any other European based movie I can think of and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Time-Pass!

[namashi_1 · 7/10 · 8 February 2012]

Based on the 2003 French novel published in English as Out of My Head, by Didier Van Cauwelaert, 'Unknown' is a Time-Pass Fare, that offers some terrific thrills, along-with a fantastic performance by it's lead star Liam Neeson.

'Unknown' Synopsis: A man awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman, he sets out to prove who he is.

'Unknown' offers some terrific thrills. The twists & turns genuinely work. However, the culmination could've been more effective. Oliver Butcher & Stephen Cornwell's Screenplay is interesting, but as mentioned, the culmination to this action-thriller needed to be better. Jaume Collet-Serra's Direction is Razor-Sharp! Cinematography is stunning. Editing & Art Design, are mediocre.

Performance-Wise: Liam Neeson is fantastic. The ever-stylish actor delivers a very fine performance & holds the film. Diane Kruger is as usual. January Jones looks alluring & does well. Frank Langella is marvelous, yet again. Aidan Quinn is perfect.

On the whole, 'Unknown' works as a action-thriller. Recommended!

Fun but stupid

[ronfernandezsf · 2/10 · 16 January 2021]

This is really a stupid movie. Most of it doesn't make sense. These car chases are too much. Where are the police or traffic cops??? Never around. After car crashes that would kill anyone, the heroines just get out of the car with nary a scratch!!! As for the girl saving Neessom after the crash into the river, she just walks away dry as can be with no questions asked and again, nary a scratch.. At the end, why would the diplomat bring his secret documents to a big party?? Why would he take his 2 young children to a grown up affair??? So many unanswered questions. Good thing the title is UNKNOWN because its all unknown and quite dumb. Oh, not to mention the break in at the apartment that Diane Kruger lives in. Paper thin walls and no other people around to see or hear the break in and noise and clatter and mayhem that's going on??? Give me a break!!. Many other inconsistencies like Neesom traveling by night by subway getting off and it's daylight!!!!