Unknown

Unknown

Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson as Dr. Martin Harris
Diane Kruger as Gina
January Jones as Elizabeth Harris
Rated: PG-13
*The following may contain spoilers*

I have said it a lot recently and I'll say it again: Hollywood has gotten stupid. In a way, the audience is responsible. It seems like no one wants to think when they go to the movies anymore.

A good example of this theory is the holiday "blockbuster," The Tourist. Tourist had a lot of potential and some big name stars, but it killed itself when they gave everything away before the ending. As a result, there was no suspense and no surprise in the end and I left feeling let down with the experience.

However, Unknown did everything right that Tourist did wrong.

The names aren't as big and the revenue predictions aren't grand, but this movie stepped up to the plate and hit it into the stands.

Imagine who you are. What makes you different from everyone else? Essentially, it is your memories, your legacy. But, what if those were taken away and you lose everything?
That's exactly what happens in Unknown.

Dr. Martin Harris and his wife, Liz, have just arrived in Berlin, Germany for a biotech convention. Immediately after arriving at their hotel, Martin realizes that he left his briefcase, which contains his wallet and passport at the airport. He hops back in a taxi and flies toward the airport. While driving, a refrigerator falls off the truck in front of them, the taxi careens into the river and Martin is knocked unconscious.

Four days later, Martin wakes up in a Berlin hospital with no recollection of the accident and only fragmented memories of his past life. Concerned for his wife, Martin quickly leaves the hospital to find her, only to discover another man is with her who is claiming to be her husband, Dr. Martin Harris. Now, the real Martin Harris is in a race against the clock and the authorities as he tries to unravel the mystery surrounding his disappearance.

Salt in the wound: His wife replaced him with this guy.

That's about as far as I can go without giving anything major away. So, lets talk about what makes Unknown great, besides the plot, and why.

First of all, the film stars Liam Neeson who proved himself as an action hero/amazing human being in Taken. (Side note: If you have NOT seen Taken, go rent it. Now.)
As usual, Liam Neeson is awesome, playing the role to the fullest as a normal guy while still being super hardcore.

You cannot. Just don't try.

Besides having Liam Neeson, Unknown also had an amazing plot. It kept you guessing the whole time and when the plot twist finally comes, it basically slaps you across the face. On top of actually being surprising, the plot twist actually succeeds in making the movie better and creates the climax of the movie. Not only is it totally unusual in a movie these days, the shock and risk of a plot twist this size is made all that more impressive by how beautifully it was executed. Amazing is the only way to describe it.

For my closing thoughts, I'm going to bring it back to my original point. Unknown simply breaks the mold in every way. It makes you think, it doesn't explain everything to you until its ready and you never see the twist coming. Unknown proves that Hollywood can still make great movies and can still appeal to the intelligence of its audience. It truly was a great movie and I recommend it to anyone who is bored with the way movies present themselves today.

Personal Rating: 9.5 of 10
Plot: 10 of 10
Sexuality/Sensuality: 4 of 10
My apologies, but I really couldn't mind a way to slide this into the actual review. So, here it is.
The sexuality in this was really my only complaint about the movie. While remembering things, Martin predominately recalled his sexual experiences with his wife at the beginning of his recollections. While never showing any nudity, various suggestive sounds and movements are seen and heard. While this is tame compared to some things out there, it's a slightly new experience for PG-13 viewers.
Drugs/Alcohol: 1 of 10