UNKNOWN (2011) ***
Here’s yet another ass-kicker from Liam Neeson. It’s a bit different than the usual Neeson fare though as it’s more in the Hitchcock tradition. Of course, Neeson still gives dudes beatdowns like he always does, so it’s still basically the same old shit, but with a slightly different flavor.
Neeson stars as a scientist attending a convention in Berlin. His cab goes in the drink and he winds up in a coma. He awakens disoriented and suffering from memory loss. He does some digging and is shocked to find that another man (Aidan Quinn) has taken his identity… and his wife (January Jones). With the help of a sexy cabbie (Diane Kruger), Neeson tries to regain his life.
The flick has a great hook that Alfred Hitchcock would’ve loved. And director Jaume Collet-Serra apes the Hitchcock style, especially in the early scenes. Another nice Hitchcock touch: Neeson is torn between a cold as ice blonde (Jones) and a goodie two shoes blonde (Krueger).
But Unknown is more than just a riff on Hitchcock. Collet-Serra delivers on the car chases and action sequences you want from a Neeson actioner. But while he ratchets up the tension nicely, the film never really achieves a boiling point. It does however remain at a good simmer though.
The plot of Unknown does rely too heavily on coincidences and the elaborate conspiracy doesn’t hold up to close scrutiny. It’s even less successful when Neeson is cracking codes and shit. But when he’s breaking bones and kicking ass, Unknown is damn good times.
Liam Neeson is just one of those guys who gets better with age. He’s probably the closest thing this generation will get to another Charles Bronson. Who knew Oskar Schindler would turn into such a resilient badass?