Solid ground doesn’t exist in the cinema of Jaume Collet-Serra and Liam Neeson. Theirs is an action cinema of distress where the mental instability of each protagonist blurs the boundaries of seemingly tight spatial parameters. Conflict unfolds violently and manipulatively within manmade (and psychological) bubbles, as vast as the multiple boroughs of New York City or as small as the cramped fuselage of a passenger jet. There is no escape, only the desperate and unflinching pursuit of truth, moral direction, and family safety. The bad guys often win, but the good guys always gain closure.Angular compositions and desperate tracking shots populate 2011’s Unknown, 2014’s Non-Stop, and 2015’s Run All Night. Images overlap, tip, ascend and dive to visualize the world as one big box of quick sand. The camera propels through space like a boomerang, challenging logic and defying gravity with reckless abandon. Every step forward brings us...
- 3/22/2015
- by Glenn Heath Jr.
- MUBI
Feature James Clayton 15 Mar 2013 - 06:38
With Welcome To The Punch's striking title in mind, James offers some more interesting film names for recent hits...
Welcome To The Punch. Boom. That is a brilliant film title. It hits you and it hits you hard. It’s an inviting knuckle sandwich to your conscious awareness and its five syllables sucker punch you and say, “Yeah, now you know me. You are watching this film, sunshine.”
Imprinted indelibly on my memory right from the first mention, how could I not follow it up and discover what mysteries lie behind the bombastic moniker? It immediately impresses me with its shocking violence and promises brutal action, intense energy and all the other sadomasochistic kicks I crave in my cinema trips. Welcome To The Punch speaks directly to my psyche and is sold to my subconscious in only four words.
Getting beyond the gut-busting first impression,...
With Welcome To The Punch's striking title in mind, James offers some more interesting film names for recent hits...
Welcome To The Punch. Boom. That is a brilliant film title. It hits you and it hits you hard. It’s an inviting knuckle sandwich to your conscious awareness and its five syllables sucker punch you and say, “Yeah, now you know me. You are watching this film, sunshine.”
Imprinted indelibly on my memory right from the first mention, how could I not follow it up and discover what mysteries lie behind the bombastic moniker? It immediately impresses me with its shocking violence and promises brutal action, intense energy and all the other sadomasochistic kicks I crave in my cinema trips. Welcome To The Punch speaks directly to my psyche and is sold to my subconscious in only four words.
Getting beyond the gut-busting first impression,...
- 3/14/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
With this week’s release of Horrible Bosses on Blu-ray and DVD, WhatCulture! were challenged with chronicling the 10 best hitmen in cinema history… Why, you might ask? Well, read on to discover all!
When your boss is a complete ass, what’s the most logical step to take? Quit, I hear you say… Well, no, actually…because quitting is not an option apparently. At least not to the characters of hit comedy Horrible Bosses. No, these guys answer to the age-old problem of a psychotic, nymphomaniac or just plain tool of a boss is to go out and find a hitman! Unfortunately for them, they stumble across Dean ‘Motherfuckah’ Jones (Jamie Foxx), a not so badass, not particularly efficient hitman (in fact, he won’t even perform the hits he’s that shit!).
What they really should have done though was check out one of the 10 characters below… Although, that...
When your boss is a complete ass, what’s the most logical step to take? Quit, I hear you say… Well, no, actually…because quitting is not an option apparently. At least not to the characters of hit comedy Horrible Bosses. No, these guys answer to the age-old problem of a psychotic, nymphomaniac or just plain tool of a boss is to go out and find a hitman! Unfortunately for them, they stumble across Dean ‘Motherfuckah’ Jones (Jamie Foxx), a not so badass, not particularly efficient hitman (in fact, he won’t even perform the hits he’s that shit!).
What they really should have done though was check out one of the 10 characters below… Although, that...
- 11/24/2011
- by Stuart Cummins
- Obsessed with Film
Gifted by the author's widow, the resource includes a great deal of music writing, as well as new literary gems
A greatly expanded slang lexicon for the delinquent droogs of the novel A Clockwork Orange has been unearthed in a vast archive of the work and life of Anthony Burgess held in Manchester, alongside the libretto and score of an unseen opera about Leon Trotsky, and the script for an unmade TV series about Attila the Hun.
In preparation for next year's 50th anniversary of his notorious novel, one of the most controversial modern works in the English language, the small team at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation have been working to organise and catalogue hundreds of papers, letters and original compositions, ready for an influx of international visitors.
The extraordinary resource, which has been left to the foundation by Burgess's widow Liana, is newly housed in a renovated building...
A greatly expanded slang lexicon for the delinquent droogs of the novel A Clockwork Orange has been unearthed in a vast archive of the work and life of Anthony Burgess held in Manchester, alongside the libretto and score of an unseen opera about Leon Trotsky, and the script for an unmade TV series about Attila the Hun.
In preparation for next year's 50th anniversary of his notorious novel, one of the most controversial modern works in the English language, the small team at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation have been working to organise and catalogue hundreds of papers, letters and original compositions, ready for an influx of international visitors.
The extraordinary resource, which has been left to the foundation by Burgess's widow Liana, is newly housed in a renovated building...
- 11/20/2011
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
Marketed with a definite Taken 2 vibe, Unknown – another high-octane, thriller starring the most fashionable action lead of recent years Liam Neeson – is far more than simply that. It is better to consider the movie as a tense and surprisingly successful amalgam of Taken, the Bourne franchise and Arlington Road, with a typically intense performance in the lead by Neesson. And it’s available to buy on DVD and Blu-ray now, a mere couple of weeks since dropping out of the UK Film Box Office Top Ten.
You can easily see where the Taken comparisons come from – Neeson plays an American in a foreign country, locked in a cat and mouse game with some invisible malignant force, an island of isolation. Only this time, Neesson’s Dr Martin Harris is the mouse, the apparent victim of some identity-stealing plot – another man claiming to be him, his wife, nor the rest...
You can easily see where the Taken comparisons come from – Neeson plays an American in a foreign country, locked in a cat and mouse game with some invisible malignant force, an island of isolation. Only this time, Neesson’s Dr Martin Harris is the mouse, the apparent victim of some identity-stealing plot – another man claiming to be him, his wife, nor the rest...
- 7/19/2011
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Entering a crowded arena Unknown is a film which forces you to compare and in doing so leaves you wanting something more.
Like other Neeson vehicles of late, it finds our hero with an insurmountable task to perform, a sort of Mission: Unknown here, but unlike previous endeavours such as Taken, a film I found to be extremely powerful, or indeed the Mission: Impossible franchise, this latest effort left me rather cold. It lacks the purpose and integrity of his previous films and places him squarely in the hard man mould, which I do not feel he meets as comfortably without an intelligent storyline or mythology to work with.
The film begins with the arrival to Berlin of Dr Martin Harris and his wife, played by the adored January Jones of Mad Men fame. We quickly find out that he is there for a conference and spoon fed the critical...
Like other Neeson vehicles of late, it finds our hero with an insurmountable task to perform, a sort of Mission: Unknown here, but unlike previous endeavours such as Taken, a film I found to be extremely powerful, or indeed the Mission: Impossible franchise, this latest effort left me rather cold. It lacks the purpose and integrity of his previous films and places him squarely in the hard man mould, which I do not feel he meets as comfortably without an intelligent storyline or mythology to work with.
The film begins with the arrival to Berlin of Dr Martin Harris and his wife, played by the adored January Jones of Mad Men fame. We quickly find out that he is there for a conference and spoon fed the critical...
- 7/18/2011
- by Chris LeCatsas
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Death, Cab and Cuties.
I once woke up with a headache in a strange location where nobody recognised me and days were missing from my life. Turns out I was recovering from a hangover at a party I’d crashed in a student squat. Luckily, I escaped before anybody raised too much objection. Things don’t go so smoothly for Dr Martin Harris (Taken's Liam Neeson), however, in the action thriller Unknown. Somebody has stolen his life, wife and probably his Blockbuster rental card too.
Jaume Collet-Serra, who is better known for directing the pair of horror films Orphan and the appalling House of Wax, does a better job adapting Didier Van-Cauwelaert’s 2003 novel - 'Hors de moi’, (Out of my head). [And he's recently been announced as the new director of Akira - News Ed.] It’s inevitable this film will receive the usual Hitchcock/De Palma references because it’s almost a paint by numbers conspiracy thriller. There’s even a...
I once woke up with a headache in a strange location where nobody recognised me and days were missing from my life. Turns out I was recovering from a hangover at a party I’d crashed in a student squat. Luckily, I escaped before anybody raised too much objection. Things don’t go so smoothly for Dr Martin Harris (Taken's Liam Neeson), however, in the action thriller Unknown. Somebody has stolen his life, wife and probably his Blockbuster rental card too.
Jaume Collet-Serra, who is better known for directing the pair of horror films Orphan and the appalling House of Wax, does a better job adapting Didier Van-Cauwelaert’s 2003 novel - 'Hors de moi’, (Out of my head). [And he's recently been announced as the new director of Akira - News Ed.] It’s inevitable this film will receive the usual Hitchcock/De Palma references because it’s almost a paint by numbers conspiracy thriller. There’s even a...
- 7/17/2011
- Shadowlocked
Giallo; Unknown; Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son; Country Strong
Following the resolution of a release-delaying financial dispute between producers and leading man Adrien Brody, it would be excellent to report that director Dario Argento's latest has been worth the wait. Sadly, the belated straight-to-dvd premiere of Giallo (2009, Lionsgate, 18) does nothing to enhance the reputation of Italy's former horror maestro. On the contrary, with its sub-Saw leering gore and crassly unimaginative exploitation aesthetic, this looks more like the work of a hacking fan boy than of the father of stylishly extreme modern cinema.
Oscar-winner Brody stars as special agent Enzo Avolfi, an unconvincingly troubled soul with a late-revealed (and, sadly, laughable) back story which affords him a dangerous empathy with his prey. In a pun-tastic play upon generic labels (Argento's touchstone oeuvre is commonly referred to as "giallo", after the yellow covers of pulp crime paperbacks), said prey turns...
Following the resolution of a release-delaying financial dispute between producers and leading man Adrien Brody, it would be excellent to report that director Dario Argento's latest has been worth the wait. Sadly, the belated straight-to-dvd premiere of Giallo (2009, Lionsgate, 18) does nothing to enhance the reputation of Italy's former horror maestro. On the contrary, with its sub-Saw leering gore and crassly unimaginative exploitation aesthetic, this looks more like the work of a hacking fan boy than of the father of stylishly extreme modern cinema.
Oscar-winner Brody stars as special agent Enzo Avolfi, an unconvincingly troubled soul with a late-revealed (and, sadly, laughable) back story which affords him a dangerous empathy with his prey. In a pun-tastic play upon generic labels (Argento's touchstone oeuvre is commonly referred to as "giallo", after the yellow covers of pulp crime paperbacks), said prey turns...
- 7/16/2011
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
Unknown
Stars: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Frank Langella | Written by Oliver Butcher, Stephen Cornwell | Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognise him, and another man has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Kruger), Martin plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.
Unknown, Liam Neeson’s follow-up to Taken, suffered on its original cinema release from comparisons, unfavourably I may add, to that film, with many expecting another all-out badass Liam Neeson kicking ass and taking names. Instead Unknown presents us with a Neeson who’s character, instead of...
Stars: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Frank Langella | Written by Oliver Butcher, Stephen Cornwell | Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognise him, and another man has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Kruger), Martin plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.
Unknown, Liam Neeson’s follow-up to Taken, suffered on its original cinema release from comparisons, unfavourably I may add, to that film, with many expecting another all-out badass Liam Neeson kicking ass and taking names. Instead Unknown presents us with a Neeson who’s character, instead of...
- 7/16/2011
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Liam Neeson has an accident and goes into a coma. When he awakens, he finds that another man has taken his place at the convention he.s attending in Germany. Even worse his wife seems to be in on the switch. This action packed twist on an old plotline has much to offer. Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his wife Liz (January Jones) are in Berlin to attend a biotechnology summit sponsored by an Arabian sheik. The two arrive at their hotel and Martin realizes that he has left his briefcase back at the airport. He jumps in a cab driven by Gina (Diane Kruger) and rushes back to the airport. He tries to text Liz but...
- 7/8/2011
- by Jeff Swindoll
- Monsters and Critics
TheMoviePool takes a look at Unknown, the mystery thriller starring Liam Neeson, which has just recently released on blu-ray. Come on inside to see whether or not this movie is worth your hard earned dollars...
The Basics
Here’s the official synopsis:
The star of Taken and The A-Team jumps back into action with brute force! Liam Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris, who awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Diane Kruger), Harris plunges into a deadly mystery forcing him to question his sanity, his identity and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.
Cast: Liam Neeson, January Jones, Diane Kruger...
The Basics
Here’s the official synopsis:
The star of Taken and The A-Team jumps back into action with brute force! Liam Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris, who awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Diane Kruger), Harris plunges into a deadly mystery forcing him to question his sanity, his identity and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.
Cast: Liam Neeson, January Jones, Diane Kruger...
- 7/5/2011
- Cinelinx
If you're familiar with Liam Neeson, you'll probably note how unlikely of a choice he is for the lead role in an action/thriller film, but if you've seen Taken, you'll know he's actually quite a perfect fit. He's got a likable, disarming nature about him, but at the same time is capable of flipping a switch and becoming a very convincing killer with deadly calculation. Unfortunately, if you have seen Taken, you'll likely be very unimpressed with his new film, Unknown.
Liam Neeson stars as Dr. Martin Harris, a scientist arriving in Berlin with his wife Elizabeth (January Jones) so he can give a presentation on a new scientific breakthrough that will revolutionize the world and hopefully end world hunger. But before he can even check into his hotel in Berlin, Dr. Harris experiences a very brutal car accident, bonks his head on the window and winds up in a coma for four days.
Liam Neeson stars as Dr. Martin Harris, a scientist arriving in Berlin with his wife Elizabeth (January Jones) so he can give a presentation on a new scientific breakthrough that will revolutionize the world and hopefully end world hunger. But before he can even check into his hotel in Berlin, Dr. Harris experiences a very brutal car accident, bonks his head on the window and winds up in a coma for four days.
- 7/5/2011
- by Ryan Katona
- JustPressPlay.net
Unknown (Blu-Ray/DVD Combo)Warner Home Entertainment2011/Rated PG-13/Running Time 113 minsList Price: $35.99 -- Now AvailablePushing sixty, I'm sure it came as a surprise to even Liam Neeson, when suddenly overnight he became regarded as an action movie star. Released in the dead of Winter, a time usually reserved as a dumping ground for bad movies, Neeson's action vehicle Taken was a surprise international hit that turned the dramatic actor into a marketable icon. His latest, Unknown, is being pushed as a film made in the same vein, but the Jaume Collet-Serra directed thriller is a bit more cerebral and a tad lighter on action and violence. What drove Neeson in Taken was that primal instinct to protect one's child, something many audiences identified with, which is no doubt why the picture was a smash success. Here, the actor is trying to reclaim something else that's precious to him, his identity,...
- 7/1/2011
- LRMonline.com
Unknown falls into a very strange category of films, not least because it is decidedly difficult to recommend. By the time the credits roll, I found it to be better-than-average as far as overall entertainment value, and I'm a Liam Neeson fan, but up until somewhere slightly beyond the half-way point, I had a desperate urge to fast-forward, or leave.
It's a vehicle of curious frustration, and I'm inclined to suspect that it is because the story is better suited to an episode of The Twilight Zone (or similar) than feature film. As fans of quickfire story houses (like Twilight Zone) well know, what puts them in a distinct class of storytelling is that they are all endgame. We lead into the clever trick of the story, and then we get a nice "Aha," moment, and that's pretty much the genre.
Unknown is such a "gag," and while not alone...
It's a vehicle of curious frustration, and I'm inclined to suspect that it is because the story is better suited to an episode of The Twilight Zone (or similar) than feature film. As fans of quickfire story houses (like Twilight Zone) well know, what puts them in a distinct class of storytelling is that they are all endgame. We lead into the clever trick of the story, and then we get a nice "Aha," moment, and that's pretty much the genre.
Unknown is such a "gag," and while not alone...
- 7/1/2011
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
Chicago – For audiences seeking a casually entertaining thriller that doesn’t require a great deal of thought, “Unknown” amounts to an enjoyable couple of hours. Skeptics are advised to steer clear. Though the mind-scrambling plot includes initial shades of “Twilight Zone” intrigue, it’s really just an excuse for Liam Neeson to kick even more butt than he did in 2008’s surprise box office hit, “Taken.”
The picture works solely because Neeson has an old-fashioned everyman quality that makes viewers want to follow him anywhere, even over the cliff of implausibility. Many critics bashed the film for its far-fetched final act, which morphs the plot into an entirely different genre. It’s a bit of a cop-out, but the rest of the film is so cheerfully ludicrous that I was willing to accept it (albeit with a bemused expression).
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0
What’s most enticing about Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell...
The picture works solely because Neeson has an old-fashioned everyman quality that makes viewers want to follow him anywhere, even over the cliff of implausibility. Many critics bashed the film for its far-fetched final act, which morphs the plot into an entirely different genre. It’s a bit of a cop-out, but the rest of the film is so cheerfully ludicrous that I was willing to accept it (albeit with a bemused expression).
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0
What’s most enticing about Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell...
- 6/29/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
by Vadim Rizov
It's a generic thriller title, but Unknown is a fitting word for the issue ailing Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson). Known: Dr. Martin Harris, a real American biotechnologist, is scheduled to speak at a Berlin conference. Unknown: whether Harris, in shock and possibly brain-damaged after a freakish traffic accident, actually is Harris, a confusing problem since there's another man (Aidan Quinn) back at his hotel answering to his name, backed up by his loving wife Liz (January Jones). Discovering he apparently doesn't exist understandably bugs the doctor, who gets very belligerent with a hotel manager whose barely restrained impatience and clipped English suggest lots of experience dealing with testy Americans who can't be bothered to learn another language.
Continued reading DVD Of The Week: Unknown...
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Comments on this Entry:...
It's a generic thriller title, but Unknown is a fitting word for the issue ailing Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson). Known: Dr. Martin Harris, a real American biotechnologist, is scheduled to speak at a Berlin conference. Unknown: whether Harris, in shock and possibly brain-damaged after a freakish traffic accident, actually is Harris, a confusing problem since there's another man (Aidan Quinn) back at his hotel answering to his name, backed up by his loving wife Liz (January Jones). Discovering he apparently doesn't exist understandably bugs the doctor, who gets very belligerent with a hotel manager whose barely restrained impatience and clipped English suggest lots of experience dealing with testy Americans who can't be bothered to learn another language.
Continued reading DVD Of The Week: Unknown...
Comments (0)
Comments on this Entry:...
- 6/21/2011
- GreenCine Daily
Liam Neeson, if you're reading this, we just want you to know how much we love you. Not that we haven't always been big fans of yours, but your late-stage breakout as an action star has been not only thoroughly fascinating to behold, but endlessly entertaining as well.
After showing off his combat chops in the Luc Besson produced "Taken," Neeson got another shot at the action hero hall of fame in "Unknown." The Irish actor stars as Martin Harris, a doctor traveling with his wife (January Jones) through Berlin for a biotechnology summit. His excursion goes awry following an accident that leaves him comatose, but matters are complicated even further when he wakes up and everybody he knows and loves — his wife included — have absolutely no idea who he is.
Neeson's not alone in the butt-kicking action; he's aided by an all-star cast that includes Diane Kruger, Aidan Quinn and Frank Langella,...
After showing off his combat chops in the Luc Besson produced "Taken," Neeson got another shot at the action hero hall of fame in "Unknown." The Irish actor stars as Martin Harris, a doctor traveling with his wife (January Jones) through Berlin for a biotechnology summit. His excursion goes awry following an accident that leaves him comatose, but matters are complicated even further when he wakes up and everybody he knows and loves — his wife included — have absolutely no idea who he is.
Neeson's not alone in the butt-kicking action; he's aided by an all-star cast that includes Diane Kruger, Aidan Quinn and Frank Langella,...
- 6/21/2011
- by Josh Wigler
- MTV Movies Blog
Blu-ray Review
Unknown
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Running Time: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG-13
Due Out: June 21, 2011
Plot: A doctor (Neeson) is set to speak at a bio-tech conference that could change the world, but he gets into an accident. Suddenly, his wife (Jones) doesn’t recognize him and he must try to prove he’s really Dr. Martin Harris.
Who’S It For? It’s your basic run-of-the-mill thriller with a good mystery brewing. Spoiler Alert — there will be some things that are discussed in this review. Don’t worry, I do my best when it comes to spoilers so if you aren’t already out the door buying your ticket to Unknown you should be safe. Don’t trust other critics with spoilers though … ever.
Movie:
It’s not a bad ride, but you eventually come to the realization that it’s about the reveal.
Unknown
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Running Time: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG-13
Due Out: June 21, 2011
Plot: A doctor (Neeson) is set to speak at a bio-tech conference that could change the world, but he gets into an accident. Suddenly, his wife (Jones) doesn’t recognize him and he must try to prove he’s really Dr. Martin Harris.
Who’S It For? It’s your basic run-of-the-mill thriller with a good mystery brewing. Spoiler Alert — there will be some things that are discussed in this review. Don’t worry, I do my best when it comes to spoilers so if you aren’t already out the door buying your ticket to Unknown you should be safe. Don’t trust other critics with spoilers though … ever.
Movie:
It’s not a bad ride, but you eventually come to the realization that it’s about the reveal.
- 6/20/2011
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
Watching Unknown starring Liam Neeson reminds me of every other spy movie pretty much. A spy looses his memory, his former team is after him because he knows too much and is no good to them anymore and of course he finds an ally while he’s on the run. I’m not saying this is a bad movie because it’s not but it’s kind of a recycled story using different characters.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra shot the film well, especially the action sequences which are fun to watch as we follow Neeson who plays Dr. Martin Haris on his journey to find out who he is and what actually happened to him after a mysterious car crash. The supporting cast that includes January Jones, Diane Kruger and Frank Langella is the strong point of the film who help Neeson carry this action thriller to the finish line. Of...
Director Jaume Collet-Serra shot the film well, especially the action sequences which are fun to watch as we follow Neeson who plays Dr. Martin Haris on his journey to find out who he is and what actually happened to him after a mysterious car crash. The supporting cast that includes January Jones, Diane Kruger and Frank Langella is the strong point of the film who help Neeson carry this action thriller to the finish line. Of...
- 6/19/2011
- by brians
- GeekTyrant
Liam Neeson has done action roles before (“Batman Begins”, “Rob Roy”), but I think most people didn’t realize just how physical he could actually be in a movie until “Taken”, well, took the world by storm. “Unknown” looks and feels a lot like “Taken” (and certainly the film’s ads have tried to make the connection), though it has a much different tone. The film is, for much of its running time, a mystery first, with Neeson’s average, Everyman character at the very center of a bizarre series of events. Uncover all of it for yourself when “Unknown” arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, for Download and On Demand June 21, 2011 from Warner Home Video. Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored...
- 6/12/2011
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Continuing to reinvent himself as an ageing hard man, as witnessed in performances such as the wronged father in Taken (2008) and the cigar chomping Colonel Hannibal Smith in the recent big screen rehash of The A-Team (2010), Liam Neeson’s latest film Unknown (2011) sees the mature actioner subjected to a perplexing bout of stolen identity.
On a trip to Berlin with his wife (Mad Men’s January Jones), where he is scheduled to give a presentation on bio-technology, Martin Harris (Neeson) is involved in a car collision which renders him comatose for four days. Upon awakening, Harris discovers that his existence has been tampered with: his wife doesn’t recognise him, his colleagues treat him like a stranger and, worse yet, he comes face-to-face with the ‘real’ Martin Harris, who has somehow taken over his identity and his marriage.
Utilising the help of a guarded and apprehensive illegal immigrant (Diane Kruger...
On a trip to Berlin with his wife (Mad Men’s January Jones), where he is scheduled to give a presentation on bio-technology, Martin Harris (Neeson) is involved in a car collision which renders him comatose for four days. Upon awakening, Harris discovers that his existence has been tampered with: his wife doesn’t recognise him, his colleagues treat him like a stranger and, worse yet, he comes face-to-face with the ‘real’ Martin Harris, who has somehow taken over his identity and his marriage.
Utilising the help of a guarded and apprehensive illegal immigrant (Diane Kruger...
- 3/16/2011
- by Matt Groizard
- CineVue
Unknown sees Liam Neeson stuck in the middle of an identity crisis. James’ advice? Follow the example of acting chameleon Johnny Depp…
In the film, Unknown, a man who looks and sounds remarkably like Liam Neeson suddenly finds himself in very distressing circumstances. Landing in Berlin, this middle-aged American male gets into the back of a taxi that's subsequently struck by a low-flying fridge, which sends the vehicle crashing off a bridge and into a river.
These sorts of freak incidents involving unsecured white goods can happen. This is why it's essential to take out travel insurance.
Waking up in hospital after four days in a coma, the man is shaken, his memory a little hazy and there's no sign of his beloved wife who arrived with him in Germany. He's also lost all forms of identification, his passport, phone, driving license, etc., but he knows who he is. He...
In the film, Unknown, a man who looks and sounds remarkably like Liam Neeson suddenly finds himself in very distressing circumstances. Landing in Berlin, this middle-aged American male gets into the back of a taxi that's subsequently struck by a low-flying fridge, which sends the vehicle crashing off a bridge and into a river.
These sorts of freak incidents involving unsecured white goods can happen. This is why it's essential to take out travel insurance.
Waking up in hospital after four days in a coma, the man is shaken, his memory a little hazy and there's no sign of his beloved wife who arrived with him in Germany. He's also lost all forms of identification, his passport, phone, driving license, etc., but he knows who he is. He...
- 3/9/2011
- Den of Geek
Liam Neeson plays Dr Martin Harris, an American scientist in Berlin to address an important international microbiology conference, who is in a car crash and emerges from a four-day coma to discover that no one, including his wife, recognises him, the authorities disbelieve his story and assassins are trying to kill him.
The title may or may not refer to Donald Rumsfeld's known unknowns and unknown unknowns, but for seasoned movie-goers this violent, fast-moving, neo-film noir is a well-known unknown in a tradition that includes Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes, Polanski's Frantic, the Jason Bourne trilogy and any number of amnesia thrillers.
Enjoy it and then forget it, though you're likely to remember a haunting performance from Bruno Ganz as a former senior Stasi agent, torn between self-disgust and self-justification, who comes to Neeson's aid. Its Spanish-born, Us-trained director made the wickedly ingenious Orphan and the lamentable 2005 remake of House of Wax.
The title may or may not refer to Donald Rumsfeld's known unknowns and unknown unknowns, but for seasoned movie-goers this violent, fast-moving, neo-film noir is a well-known unknown in a tradition that includes Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes, Polanski's Frantic, the Jason Bourne trilogy and any number of amnesia thrillers.
Enjoy it and then forget it, though you're likely to remember a haunting performance from Bruno Ganz as a former senior Stasi agent, torn between self-disgust and self-justification, who comes to Neeson's aid. Its Spanish-born, Us-trained director made the wickedly ingenious Orphan and the lamentable 2005 remake of House of Wax.
- 3/6/2011
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
The current conventional wisdom regarding ‘Hollywood’s’ recent output seems to be that it is fresh out of ideas. Blockbusters have become infantile, disposable and interchangeable. Whether or not this belief holds any truth, I personally believe it is a oversimplification of the current situation, it does seem to be clear that the films making it to the multiplexes are becoming even more ghettoised than they were previously, fitting into easily identifiable boxes. The idea of ‘aiming’ films at a certain audience seems to have been taken to extremes and whilst films constantly dispute this approach, it shows no sign of disappearing. Perhaps as an antidote to the perceived infantilism of the blockbuster, perhaps an attempt to effectively target an audience who rarely visits the cinema or maybe even just as a result of a natural shift, there seems to be a spate of ‘intelligent action thrillers’ that are neither...
- 3/4/2011
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
There is a lot to be said of Liam Neeson’s new role as 21st Century action man, formed in films such as The A-Team and Taken and cemented in his latest film, Unknown, which makes the most of this new persona.
Neeson stars alongside Diane Kruger, January Jones, Frank Langella, Aidan Quinn, Sebastian Koch and is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, a man whose career is moving into increasingly interesting territory.
The excellent people at Upbeat sat down with the director, Neeson and January Jones to talk about the film, which is out in the UK tomorrow.
Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson, Taken) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones, Mad Men) suddenly doesn’t recognise him, and another man has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided...
Neeson stars alongside Diane Kruger, January Jones, Frank Langella, Aidan Quinn, Sebastian Koch and is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, a man whose career is moving into increasingly interesting territory.
The excellent people at Upbeat sat down with the director, Neeson and January Jones to talk about the film, which is out in the UK tomorrow.
Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson, Taken) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones, Mad Men) suddenly doesn’t recognise him, and another man has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided...
- 3/3/2011
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The latest thriller to star Liam Neeson as a kick-ass hard man, Unknown, is only a few short days away from release now. To mark the occasion, Optimum Releasing have sent us yet another clip from the film, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and also starring Diane Kruger, Bruno Ganz, Frank Langella and January Jones.
The clip is taken from one of my favourite scenes in the movie, and pretty much sums up the dangers of taking your eyes off of the road (or pointing a loaded gun at a transit van). Here’s a warning to the sharp-eyed among you, it’s also slightly spoilerish! Check out the clip below and don’t forget to take a look at our Unknown review too!
Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson, Taken) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones, Mad Men) suddenly doesn’t recognise him,...
The clip is taken from one of my favourite scenes in the movie, and pretty much sums up the dangers of taking your eyes off of the road (or pointing a loaded gun at a transit van). Here’s a warning to the sharp-eyed among you, it’s also slightly spoilerish! Check out the clip below and don’t forget to take a look at our Unknown review too!
Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson, Taken) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones, Mad Men) suddenly doesn’t recognise him,...
- 3/2/2011
- by Craig Sharp
- FilmShaft.com
Unknown
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Running Time: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: February 18, 2011
Plot: A doctor (Neeson) is set to speak at a bio-tech conference that could change the world, but he gets into an accident. Suddenly, his wife (Jones) doesn’t recognize him and he must try to prove he’s really Dr. Martin Harris.
Jake interviews Liam Neeson …
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHL85ZTwXFc
Jake Hamilton: Entertainment Reporter
Two-time Emmy nominee Jake Hamilton began his film critic career at the age of 14 when he was brought on to write film reviews for the Houston Chronicle. Pegged as a brutally honest and genuinely real critic for the people, Hamilton spent the next four years writing hundreds of reviews, features, and controversial Top Ten lists. He was even the subject for the highly publicized “Win a Date with Jake Hamilton” contest.
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Running Time: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: February 18, 2011
Plot: A doctor (Neeson) is set to speak at a bio-tech conference that could change the world, but he gets into an accident. Suddenly, his wife (Jones) doesn’t recognize him and he must try to prove he’s really Dr. Martin Harris.
Jake interviews Liam Neeson …
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHL85ZTwXFc
Jake Hamilton: Entertainment Reporter
Two-time Emmy nominee Jake Hamilton began his film critic career at the age of 14 when he was brought on to write film reviews for the Houston Chronicle. Pegged as a brutally honest and genuinely real critic for the people, Hamilton spent the next four years writing hundreds of reviews, features, and controversial Top Ten lists. He was even the subject for the highly publicized “Win a Date with Jake Hamilton” contest.
- 3/1/2011
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
If you go into Unknown expecting something of a sequel to the Liam Neeson, ass-kicking action thriller Taken, then you may be in for a bit of a shock. Because despite the posters, the trailers and the majority of the marketing surrounding this film alluding to an action sequel of sorts, this film has far more in common with, say, The Bourne Identity than it does with Pierre Morel’s thriller.
I’ll say now, forgive me if this review seems a little spoilerish in places, but given the subject matter and the over-arcing plot, it’s very difficult not to give away anything from this movie. In fact I’d recommend steering clear of reviews at all unless you want the story spoiled to some extent.
So, The Bourne Identity and Unknown. All of the primary plot devices are there, a man who, after suffering an accident, finds himself with amnesia,...
I’ll say now, forgive me if this review seems a little spoilerish in places, but given the subject matter and the over-arcing plot, it’s very difficult not to give away anything from this movie. In fact I’d recommend steering clear of reviews at all unless you want the story spoiled to some extent.
So, The Bourne Identity and Unknown. All of the primary plot devices are there, a man who, after suffering an accident, finds himself with amnesia,...
- 2/28/2011
- by Craig Sharp
- FilmShaft.com
Liam Neeson’s emergence as an action hero continues with Unknown, the latest flick from the Dark Castle label. The Irish actor stars as a man without an identity in a foreign city – Berlin. We’ve got two brand new clips from the movie to show you – out in UK cinemas from March 4th – so watch ‘em!
Starring alongside Mr. Neeson is January Jones, Diane Kruger, Frank Langella and Bruno Ganz. Unknown is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra the fella behind such notable titles as House of Wax and Orphan.
Synopsis:
Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson, Taken) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones, Mad Men) suddenly doesn’t recognise him, and another man has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Diane Kruger, Inglorious...
Starring alongside Mr. Neeson is January Jones, Diane Kruger, Frank Langella and Bruno Ganz. Unknown is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra the fella behind such notable titles as House of Wax and Orphan.
Synopsis:
Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson, Taken) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones, Mad Men) suddenly doesn’t recognise him, and another man has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Diane Kruger, Inglorious...
- 2/25/2011
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
"Unknown"; starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, and January Jones; directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.
By Craig Younkin - February 24, 2011
Liam Neeson’s life gets "taken" and he has to fight to get it back in "Unknown", the star’s best attempt so far at banking on his action hero personae. Sure "Unknown" is like a smorgasbord of other thrillers (the "Bourne" series and "Frantic" chief among them) rolled up into one but it does so many things right that I barely even noticed the resemblance until the lights in the theater came up. Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris, who while in Berlin for a bio-technology summit suffers memory loss after his taxi gets into a car accident. Only nothing can explain what happens next.
His wife (January Jones) has no idea who he is and he has been replaced with another Martin Harris (Aidan Quinn). As the plot gets deeper we...
By Craig Younkin - February 24, 2011
Liam Neeson’s life gets "taken" and he has to fight to get it back in "Unknown", the star’s best attempt so far at banking on his action hero personae. Sure "Unknown" is like a smorgasbord of other thrillers (the "Bourne" series and "Frantic" chief among them) rolled up into one but it does so many things right that I barely even noticed the resemblance until the lights in the theater came up. Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris, who while in Berlin for a bio-technology summit suffers memory loss after his taxi gets into a car accident. Only nothing can explain what happens next.
His wife (January Jones) has no idea who he is and he has been replaced with another Martin Harris (Aidan Quinn). As the plot gets deeper we...
- 2/23/2011
- by Screen Comment
- Screen Comment
Frank Langella and Liam Neeson in a scene from Unknown. By Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright 2011 Dark Castle Holdings, LLC.In the new, heavily advertised thriller Unknown, Liam Neeson plays Martin Harris (or does he?), an American scientist who suffers an identity crisis so extreme even his wife, Elizabeth (January Jones), doesn’t recognize him (or does she?). Below, we answer every question you could possibly have about Unknown. (Or do we?) Q: How many minutes into Unknown will it take a reasonably intelligent human being to figure out the ending? A: Forty, tops. Q: Does knowing the ending ruin the movie? A: Nope, not at all. This movie was ruined before they started filming. In fact, knowing the ending sort of makes it better.
- 2/22/2011
- Vanity Fair
Things are seldom what they seem,/ Skim milk masquerades as cream says Buttercup in Gilbert & Sullivan.s Hms Pinafore. To fully understand what he means, see Unknown (originally titled Unknown White Male), which opened nationally this weekend. Unknown, a mystery-thriller, takes place in Berlin, Germany, where Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his wife Elizabeth (January Jones) attend a scientific convention at the Adlon Kempinski Hotel. This Five Star luxury establishment, located at Pariser Platz square and Unter den Linden Boulevard, is a place of sheer luxury, frequented by celebrities and political leaders, a place to see and to be seen at. With fifteen meeting and banquet rooms, two ballrooms, concierge, butler service and luxurious shops the Adlon Kempinski signals to Dr. Harris and his wife that they indeed "have arrived" and will have a glorious stay. They are scheduled to stay at the Eisenhower Suite ($723Usd per night).
- 2/20/2011
- Arizona Reporter
Following in the footsteps on "Taken," Liam Neeson stars in this action-thriller as Dr. Martin Harris, a research scientist, first seen with his beautiful wife Elizabeth (January Jones) arriving in snowy Berlin, prepared to address a global conference on biotechnology. In the confusion of leaving the airport, the briefcase containing his passport and other credentials is left on the luggage cart. Just as he reaches his hotel, he realizes his loss and immediately tries to retrieve it but his taxi is involved in an accident and he's rescued from the river by the taxi driver Gina (Diane Kruger), a spunky Bosnian immigrant.
- 2/20/2011
- Arizona Reporter
'Unknown' movie delivered great drama & twists with Liam Neeson. Warner Bros. Pictures released their new drama/thriller flick titled, "Unknown" into theaters this weekend. I just checked it out,and I thought it was really,really good. It delivered some great twists,intense drama,and action. The movie stars: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz,and Frank Langella. "Unknown" movie revolved around character Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) who gets into a car accident after arriving in Berlin,while separated from his supposed wife. Four days later,he wakes up in a hospital,and immediately hops out of bed to go search for his wife Elizabeth Harris (January Jones). However,when he finds her, she acts as if she doesn't recognize him and another man has taken his place or identity.
- 2/20/2011
- by Andre@ontheflix
- OnTheFlix
Unknown
Starring Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger
Directed by Jaume Collet-Sera
Rated R
Jaume Collet-Sera presents us with silver screen all-star Liam Neeson as Dr. Martin Harris, a man traveling with his wife (January Jones) to a high profile, biological science symposium in Berlin. Upon arrival at their five-star accommodation, he realizes that he has forgotten his brief case at the airport, and so promptly hails a cab for its retrieval. His plans are foiled, however, after a harrowing car crash leaves him in a coma for four days. When Dr. Martin rushes back to the hotel to ensure the safety of his wife, he discovers that his wife mysteriously no longer knows who he is, and that he, himself, has been replaced by another man, the self proclaimed Dr. Martin. The original Dr. Martin must then determine whether or not he is actually insane and suffering delusions from the crash,...
Starring Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger
Directed by Jaume Collet-Sera
Rated R
Jaume Collet-Sera presents us with silver screen all-star Liam Neeson as Dr. Martin Harris, a man traveling with his wife (January Jones) to a high profile, biological science symposium in Berlin. Upon arrival at their five-star accommodation, he realizes that he has forgotten his brief case at the airport, and so promptly hails a cab for its retrieval. His plans are foiled, however, after a harrowing car crash leaves him in a coma for four days. When Dr. Martin rushes back to the hotel to ensure the safety of his wife, he discovers that his wife mysteriously no longer knows who he is, and that he, himself, has been replaced by another man, the self proclaimed Dr. Martin. The original Dr. Martin must then determine whether or not he is actually insane and suffering delusions from the crash,...
- 2/19/2011
- by Olivia Briggs
- GetTheBigPicture.net
Title: Unknown Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger and January Jones While Dark Castle Entertainment, the studio behind the new Liam Neeson thriller ‘Unknown,’ was busy promoting the action film, the actor’s fans undoubtedly questioned if the movie would be reminiscent of his 2009 sleeper hit ‘Taken.’ Both films are focused on Neeson’s character, an American, who travels to Europe and puts himself through physical danger to put his life back together. While the plotline for ‘Unknown’ unfortunately doesn’t stay entirely true to ‘Taken’s format, Neeson still proves that as an older actor, he can still equally balance action while developing a sophisticated character. ‘Unknown’ follows Dr. Martin Harris (played by [...]...
- 2/19/2011
- by karen
- ShockYa
Liam Neeson towers over everyone with his tall physique in the new psychological thriller Unknown and his overpowering presence is one of the only good things about this flat film.
Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) and his wife Liz (January Jones) travel to Berlin for a biotech conference, but Harris accidentally leaves his briefcase at the airport. The couple make it all the way to the hotel before Harris figures out it's missing, so he takes a taxi back. En route to the airport, he is in a terrible accident and is in a coma for four days.
When he returns to the hotel to find his wife, she does not know who he is and insists another man (Aiden Quinn) is her husband named Martin Harris.
Harris finds the taxi driver, Gina (Diane Kruger), and makes it his mission to find out why this new man has taken over his life.
Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) and his wife Liz (January Jones) travel to Berlin for a biotech conference, but Harris accidentally leaves his briefcase at the airport. The couple make it all the way to the hotel before Harris figures out it's missing, so he takes a taxi back. En route to the airport, he is in a terrible accident and is in a coma for four days.
When he returns to the hotel to find his wife, she does not know who he is and insists another man (Aiden Quinn) is her husband named Martin Harris.
Harris finds the taxi driver, Gina (Diane Kruger), and makes it his mission to find out why this new man has taken over his life.
- 2/19/2011
- by alyssa.caverley@gmail.com (Alyssa Caverley)
- Reel Movie News
After wading through a sea of predictable films for what felt like ages, Unknown was a breath of fresh air. Except for one moment, I had no idea what would happen next from scene to scene. And the big twist of the story? I haven’t seen such a great twist since The Sixth Sense. This is what mystery/thriller movies should aspire to. Take away the breath of your audience. Kick them in the gut and leave ‘em lying on the floor asking for more.
Unknown follows Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) through Berlin as he hunts for proof of his identity. After a bad accident leaves him in a coma for four days, Harris wakes up to find that no one, not even his wife, remembers him. To his surprise, someone has taken his place. When everything checks out for the “new” Martin Harris, our hero is left...
Unknown follows Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) through Berlin as he hunts for proof of his identity. After a bad accident leaves him in a coma for four days, Harris wakes up to find that no one, not even his wife, remembers him. To his surprise, someone has taken his place. When everything checks out for the “new” Martin Harris, our hero is left...
- 2/19/2011
- by Austin Wulf
- Movie Cultists
Unknown isn't the worst movie director Jaume Collet-Serra has made; of the four on his c.v., that honor is shared by the repulsive House of Wax and the laughable Orphan. It is, however, a maddeningly stupid one, built on cheap shocks, idiotic plotting, and some of the worst acting by a female lead outside of the porn industry. There's no accident that it was released to theaters in February, during the time of year when studios are still busy trumpeting last year's award winners and contenders that they fill their winter slots with lowbrow action, unfunny comedies, and grating family fare. The film feels calculated to push every last button of annoyance in a thinking viewer, practically daring you to stand up and shout at the screen, or to beseech the projectionist to just put on something else. Based on the novel Out of My Head by Didier van Cauwelaert,...
- 2/18/2011
- by Daniel Carlson
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Liam Neeson cuts an unlikely figure as an action hero. The Irishman is not exactly what you might call a towering monument of machismo like Sly Stallone. Nor is he a male wish fulfilment figure and sex object like Tom Cruise. He isn’t even a trash-talking everyman a la Bruce Willis. Yet what he has that those talents arguably lack is gravitas and the air of nobility. He has come to convey a certain purity of intention that has seen him cast as the Greek God Zeus, the mighty Jesus-lion Aslan and a fatherly old Jedi – all roles that require an actor who can embody great power coupled with great wisdom.
Lately this de facto respect for Neeson as a screen presence has seen him take on a greater number of tough-guy roles. After starring in the violent 2008 thriller Taken, he went on to lead...
Liam Neeson cuts an unlikely figure as an action hero. The Irishman is not exactly what you might call a towering monument of machismo like Sly Stallone. Nor is he a male wish fulfilment figure and sex object like Tom Cruise. He isn’t even a trash-talking everyman a la Bruce Willis. Yet what he has that those talents arguably lack is gravitas and the air of nobility. He has come to convey a certain purity of intention that has seen him cast as the Greek God Zeus, the mighty Jesus-lion Aslan and a fatherly old Jedi – all roles that require an actor who can embody great power coupled with great wisdom.
Lately this de facto respect for Neeson as a screen presence has seen him take on a greater number of tough-guy roles. After starring in the violent 2008 thriller Taken, he went on to lead...
- 2/18/2011
- by Robert Beames
- Obsessed with Film
Unknown
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Running Time: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: February 18, 2011
Plot: A doctor (Neeson) is set to speak at a bio-tech conference that could change the world, but he gets into an accident. Suddenly, his wife (Jones) doesn’t recognize him and he must try to prove he’s really Dr. Martin Harris.
Who’S It For? It’s your basic run-of-the-mill thriller with a good mystery brewing. Spoiler Alert — there will be some things that are discussed in this review. Don’t worry, I do my best when it comes to spoilers so if you aren’t already out the door buying your ticket to Unknown you should be safe. Don’t trust other critics with spoilers though … ever.
Expectations: I thought I was getting an amnesia movie, I also figured that if you’re going down that path again in a movie,...
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Running Time: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: February 18, 2011
Plot: A doctor (Neeson) is set to speak at a bio-tech conference that could change the world, but he gets into an accident. Suddenly, his wife (Jones) doesn’t recognize him and he must try to prove he’s really Dr. Martin Harris.
Who’S It For? It’s your basic run-of-the-mill thriller with a good mystery brewing. Spoiler Alert — there will be some things that are discussed in this review. Don’t worry, I do my best when it comes to spoilers so if you aren’t already out the door buying your ticket to Unknown you should be safe. Don’t trust other critics with spoilers though … ever.
Expectations: I thought I was getting an amnesia movie, I also figured that if you’re going down that path again in a movie,...
- 2/18/2011
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
After last year’s surprise film Orphan, I had held out some hope for Jaume Collet-Serra. He took that film and really ran with it. There was enough visual and technical identity in that film to say that he may be someone to keep watching. I thought he handled his story twists pretty well in Orphan as well. I also didn’t think his House of Wax remake – even though it was more of a Tourist Trap remake – was as bad as people made it out to be. I would be lying if I didn’t say I was somewhat looking forward to Unknown. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a film that I was dying to see but I really gained some respect for Collet-Serra after Orphan last year. Also, Liam Neeson has always been a favorite of mine – even if I always remember him as Peyton Westlake.
- 2/18/2011
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
Feb 18, 2011
By the time Liam Neeson yells "I'm Martin Harris!" for about the 458th time, you'll believe it. But is he, really? For those who have watched the trailer, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to assume that director Jaume Collet-Serra's Unknown is the second coming of Taken. For one, it stars Neeson as an angry man searching for answers; for another, it makes Europe look like the worst place to spend your next vacation. In truth, it is not: instead of an action-packed (and surprisingly enjoyable) revenge fantasy film, what we get is ...Read more at MovieRetriever.com...
By the time Liam Neeson yells "I'm Martin Harris!" for about the 458th time, you'll believe it. But is he, really? For those who have watched the trailer, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to assume that director Jaume Collet-Serra's Unknown is the second coming of Taken. For one, it stars Neeson as an angry man searching for answers; for another, it makes Europe look like the worst place to spend your next vacation. In truth, it is not: instead of an action-packed (and surprisingly enjoyable) revenge fantasy film, what we get is ...Read more at MovieRetriever.com...
- 2/18/2011
- CinemaNerdz
Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his daughter wife Elizabeth (January Jones) arrive in Berlin for a conference, but as they enter their hotel he realizes he’s forgotten his briefcase back at the airport. He hops in a cab to retrieve it and instead crashes into a river, dies for a couple minutes, and winds up in a coma. He awakens a few days later and discovers another man (Aidan Quinn) has stepped into his shoes and stolen his identity. And his wife is going along with it. No one believes he is who he says he is, all of the evidence points to the contrary, and not even a very particular set of skills may be enough to prove otherwise. It’s Taken meets Frantic (by way of a handful of titles that would surely ruin the film’s main reveal were they to be named) as Harris is forced to scour his way through...
- 2/18/2011
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Unknown, the new film directed by Spanish filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra, is 75% a decent thriller, a mystery that establishes itself, builds itself, and reveals itself with superlative pacing. There are some nice action pieces thrown in, as well, and Liam Neeson is no stranger to coming off intimidating when he needs to be. However, it's not a film that really asks the audience think too hard about what it presents. To do so is to discover the plot holes, contrivances, and all around banality that comes from zero attempt at originality. It's exciting, but the explosions roar through those holes like a bullet train entering a tunnel. The film begins with Neeson's Dr. Martin Harris and his wife Elizabeth (January Jones) landing in Berlin for a conference. Soon after landing, Martin is in a severe car accident that leaves him in a coma. When he awakens along with a slight case...
- 2/18/2011
- by Jeremy Kirk
- firstshowing.net
I liked this movie. It isn’t Shakespeare and it’s certainly not Liam’s best work, but it has some dysphoric strangeness at times that will have you questioning how ‘you’ would react in a situation where you couldn’t convince anyone, not even your wife, that you were yourself.
Liam Neeson (Excalibur) leads this action thriller as Dr. Martin Harris a buzzing biotech researcher that’s been invited to Paris to present at a world-wide convention. In a rushed drive to the airport, he falls victim to a car accident and awakens days later with no passport or identification. Convinced his wife is desperately scouring the streets of Paris looking for him, he returns to their hotel only to find that another man has taken his identity and his wife is blatantly oblivious to his existence. Determined, he recruits help from a local day worker Gina and a...
Liam Neeson (Excalibur) leads this action thriller as Dr. Martin Harris a buzzing biotech researcher that’s been invited to Paris to present at a world-wide convention. In a rushed drive to the airport, he falls victim to a car accident and awakens days later with no passport or identification. Convinced his wife is desperately scouring the streets of Paris looking for him, he returns to their hotel only to find that another man has taken his identity and his wife is blatantly oblivious to his existence. Determined, he recruits help from a local day worker Gina and a...
- 2/18/2011
- by Rock Young
- Atomic Popcorn
Comparisons to “Taken” and “The Bourne Identity” appear to be inevitable when talking about Jaume Collet-Serra’s new action thriller “Unknown”, starring Liam Neeson, but I’ll try to keep that talk to a minimum. The “Taken” reference feels lazy, or at least too easy, and the only real connection between the two films is that both prominently feature Liam Neeson kicking the crap out of people. The “Bourne” comparison is a little more appropriate as both revolve around memory loss, a shadowy past, and a helpful, not to mention beautiful, stranger, as well kicking the crap out of people. “Unknown” isn’t a great movie, nor is it terribly original, and it wants to be much more important and deep than it is. What it is, is a decent suspense film that morphs into an action vehicle along the way. Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson), a renowned botanist, and his...
- 2/18/2011
- by Brent McKnight
- Beyond Hollywood
Liam Neeson in Unknown
Photo: Warner Bros. While Unknown is not a terrible movie, comparing it to Taken, Liam Neeson's previous old man actioner, is setting the bar way too high. This is a formulaic thriller and one you've seen before, from the twist ending to the car chases where cops can only be bothered to respond once the carnage is complete. Unknown is one of those films you can't help but nitpick because the plot has you bouncing between tedium and disinterest to the point the only thing left to do is find entertainment in pointing out plot-holes until the credits roll.
The story begins as Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) and his wife ("Mad Men's" January Jones) have just arrived in Berlin and are preparing to check-in to their hotel when Martin realizes his briefcase has been left at the airport. He hails a taxi, which is...
Photo: Warner Bros. While Unknown is not a terrible movie, comparing it to Taken, Liam Neeson's previous old man actioner, is setting the bar way too high. This is a formulaic thriller and one you've seen before, from the twist ending to the car chases where cops can only be bothered to respond once the carnage is complete. Unknown is one of those films you can't help but nitpick because the plot has you bouncing between tedium and disinterest to the point the only thing left to do is find entertainment in pointing out plot-holes until the credits roll.
The story begins as Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) and his wife ("Mad Men's" January Jones) have just arrived in Berlin and are preparing to check-in to their hotel when Martin realizes his briefcase has been left at the airport. He hails a taxi, which is...
- 2/18/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
A popular theme of the mystery thriller film genre is the big conspiracy against one man. Sometimes the protagonist has amnesia and battles shadowy forces to find out his identity. Many times those forces are out to convince the authorities that the hero has lost his sanity. The makers of Unknown twist those themes in order to add some variety to this type of action film. What if you woke up and all your loved ones did not recognize you?
As Unknown begins Dr. Martin Harris ( Liam Neeson ) and his wife Elizabeth ( January Jones ) are flying into the Berlin airport. Martin is a prominent American botanist and is scheduled to present an address at an international agricultural summit. After landing, they load their bags into a taxi and head to the hotel. As Elizabeth checks in, Martin realizes that his briefcase was not in the cab. Without telling her, he...
As Unknown begins Dr. Martin Harris ( Liam Neeson ) and his wife Elizabeth ( January Jones ) are flying into the Berlin airport. Martin is a prominent American botanist and is scheduled to present an address at an international agricultural summit. After landing, they load their bags into a taxi and head to the hotel. As Elizabeth checks in, Martin realizes that his briefcase was not in the cab. Without telling her, he...
- 2/18/2011
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Review in a Hurry: With his mighty vertical stature and distinctive voice (even when he's trying to badly affect other accents), Liam Neeson is tough to mistake for anybody else. So if he's confused about who he is, rest assured it must have taken a powerfully evil plot to make that happen. Try not to think too hard about it, and you'll enjoy watching him beat his way back to total recall. The Bigger Picture: En route to a biotech conference in Berlin, Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) is momentarily distracted at the airport and leaves his briefcase behind. Returning to get it in a hurry, while riding in the cab of the improbably beautiful and kind illegal immigrant Gina (Diane Kruger), he encounters an equally improbable...
- 2/18/2011
- E! Online
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