areaseven Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 (edited) UnknownStudio Babelsberg/Dark Castle Entertainment/Warner Bros. Pictures, 2011Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan, House of Wax)Based on the novel Out of My Head by Didier Van CauwelaertRunning Time: 113 minutesRated PG-13 for violence, suggestive sexual situations and strong language CastLiam Neeson (Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia, tattoo artist in The Hangover: Part II) as Dr. Martin HarrisDiane Kruger (Bridget in Inglorious Basterds, Abigail in National Treasure) as GinaJanuary Jones (Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class, Betty in Mad Men) as Elizabeth HarrisFrank Langella (Skeletor in Masters of the Universe, Perry White in Superman Returns) as Prof. Rodney ColeAidan Quinn (President Grant in Jonah Hex, Benny in Benny & Joon) as Martin BBruno Ganz (Hitler in Downfall and its countless parody videos online) as Ernst JürgenSebastian Koch as Prof. BresslerMido Hamada as Prince ShadaSynopsisDr. Martin Harris and his wife Elizabeth arrive in Berlin, Germany, to attend a biotechnology summit. Then, when he realizes he forgot his briefcase at the airport, he takes a taxicab to go back and retrieve it - only to be involved in an accident that puts him in a coma for four days. When he wakes up, he discovers that he is not who he says he is, as somebody else has taken his name and identity while his wife does not know him.LowdownIt's Taken meets The Bourne Identity, as Liam Neeson proves he can deliver a powerful action/suspense performance in his late-50s. Unknown is a tale of mistaken identity, with Neeson as Martin Harris, a man struggling to prove to everyone who he is after surviving a horrific car crash. There are lots of unpredictable twists in the plot, right to the end. Despite being derivative of The Bourne Identity, the storyline is very well thought-of. Just like Taken, Neeson takes the Charles Bronson approach in no-nonsense action, despite some stunts that may seem implausible.Of course, January Jones is there mostly as eye candy. Diane Kruger delivers a remarkable performance as Gina, a Bosnian cabbie who tries to help Martin while avoiding possible risks of deportation. Also landing a solid role is Downfall Hitler himself, Bruno Ganz, as a private investigator who unravels the secrets behind Martin's stolen identity.If there are any flaws in this movie, one would be the pacing. Some parts of the middle of the film can seem bogged down by too much dialogue. Another general fault is the blatant product placement by Mercedes-Benz - from the older E-Class taxicabs to Prince Shada's SLS AMG. But that's just for nitpicking purposes, so don't mind it at all.In short, If you enjoyed Neeson's performance in Taken, you won't be disappointed with Unknown. Even though it gives you the feeling that you've seen this movie before, it's still an enjoyable thriller.Rating: BLinksOfficial Unknown HomepageReferencesThe Internet Movie DatabaseWikipedia Edited March 16, 2015 by areaseven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 So, it's not a prequel to Taken? Kinda wish it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UN Spacy Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I loved Taken. I heard this one wasn't as good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.