Grade: B+
Rebecca Spence, Arts Editor
Any smart moviegoer knows that it’s essential to walk into a theatre with a willing suspension of disbelief. For Unknown your mind may need an extra layer of imagination to make this film enjoyable from beginning to end.
Unknown opens with the arrival of Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his wife, Elizabeth Harris (January Jones) in Berlin, Germany for a biotechnology summit. The urban European backdrop provides both a beautiful and gritty setting for the story’s events to unfold upon.
When Harris realizes he left an important briefcase at the airport (the first of many implausible plot points) he leaves his hotel in a taxi without telling his wife. The following string of events include improbabilities from no cell reception to a car accident that leaves Harris in the hospital where he’s been in a coma for four days. When he awakes, his doctor explains that his memory leading up to the accident may never fully recover.
But never mind that, since our protagonist is absolutely convinced that he is Dr. Martin Harris and he is married to the beautiful Liz Harris and he is in Berlin for the biotechnology summit. But when Harris leaves the hospital against his doctor’s suggestion, he finds his wife with another man who claims that he is actually the real Dr. Martin Harris, and it seems as though Liz doesn’t recognize our hero after all. Without any identification (which was conveniently in said briefcase) or any other way of proving his true identity, Harris finds himself in a classic Hitchcock scenario: lost and confused while in a foreign and unfamiliar city. The first act neatly sets the audience up for the ensuing series of twists and turns.
Without giving away the ending, this movie should leave you close to satisfied. There are no major gaping plot holes, but a few cracks will be found in this ambitious script. Any skepticism that may arise can be subdued by the film’s other positive attributes. It’s slickly shot, has a quick pace that rarely lags, and keeps your eyes glued to the screen. Liam Neeson, who is always superb in his roles, is easy on the eyes and provides an Everyman type character for us to relate to. January Jones, though a bit static at times, is still just as interesting to watch as Betty Draper. The best performance, though, comes from Diane Kruger, who plays a hot Bosnian taxi driver (another doubtful plot point one must set aside) who helps out Harris and ultimately kicks some ass.
All in all, Unknown provides an entertaining two-hour romp through the streets of Berlin. It’s Taken meets Total Recall meets Memento. It’s no work of art, and it’s definitely not taking home any awards, but it’s certainly worth your while. Just remember to trade in your cynicism for a large bag of popcorn. With extra butter.
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