Unknown - (February 18, 2011): PG-13
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $25,453,015
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $44,866,537
Gross Revenue: $57,566,537
Budget: $30 million
Directors: Jaume Collet-Serra
Though he was undeniably famous beforehand, Liam Neeson has been on an absolute hot streak ever since he signed on to play Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn in the Star Wars prequels, taking on everything from historical drama (Kinsey) and romantic comedy (Love Actually) to children’s fantasy (Chronicles of Narnia series) and comic book adaptation (Batman Begins). After his unforgettable turn as action star in 2008’s Taken, it was clear that audiences were eager to see Neeson again take a turn in the thriller genre, and even though Taken II was recently given the green-light by 20th Century Fox, Unknown seemed like a very appropriate way to currently placate audiences. The amnesia twist alluded to in early previews was more than enough to evoke memories of The Bourne Identity, while watching Neeson tear through a European City maintained a clear link to Taken…from a positioning standpoint, it wouldn’t be very difficult for Warner Bros. to sell Unknown to today’s audiences. In terms of supporting cast, I was particularly excited about the inclusion of Diane Kruger, who last charmed audiences as Bridget von Hammersmark in 2009’s Inglorious Basterds; together, she and Neeson would undoubtedly make a lethal combination. Walking into the theater, I tried not to get my hopes too high, as I knew that this wouldn’t be an exact replica of Taken, but I was still expecting considerable entertainment from this newest thriller.
Based on the 2003 French novel Out of My Head by Didier van Cauwelaert, Unknown starts as Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) and his wife Liz (January Jones) arrive in Berlin for a biotechnology summit. Realizing that he has forgotten his passport at the airport, Martin leaves Liz at the hotel and grabs a cab. On the way to the airport, the cab crashes off a bridge and Martin is knocked unconscious; though he is saved by the driver, Gina (Kruger), she quickly flees. Martin awakes four days later in the hospital and returns to the hotel, only to find that Liz has no memory of him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed the identity of “Dr. Martin Harris.” After several failed attempts to prove his identity, Martin reaches out to an old colleague (Frank Langella) and searches for Gina in order to corroborate his story with Berlin authorities, only to find that he is now being chased by mysterious assassins. Between fighting for his life and questioning his own sanity, Martin slowly begins to uncover the truth, which unveils a far more sinister plan than anyone would have previously believed.
By far the most entertaining aspect of Unknown is watching Liam Neeson solidify his reputation as an action star, slyly dodging his assailants and fighting to prove his identity at all costs. He may not be playing the exact same super-spy from Taken, but Neeson is still capable of providing a thrilling car chase or desperate fistfight to satisfy fans. As far as the story goes, the unique premise provides enough twists and turns to keep audiences guessing and genuinely invested in the final outcome, in the end providing for a fully entertaining experience. Another pleasant element of Unknown involves Diane Kruger, whose streetwise and sarcastic character perfectly balances Liam Neeson’s troubled hero; beyond the effective character pairing the chemistry between the two is also surprisingly convincing, injecting a much needed, if subtle, romantic dynamic into the film. The effective mix of action and characters ultimately makes Unknown a worthy entry in the thriller genre.
Unfortunately, for as promising a setup as was promised to audiences in both the trailers and the first half of the film, the end-result of Unknown is surprisingly disappointing. As the story unfolds, plot elements not only begin to stretch the bounds of logic, but they also borrow heavily from past thrillers, making the overall film a little too familiar for audiences to ignore or forgive. By the time the end credits begin to roll, you cannot help but feel that something better could have produced from the premise, and that you have seen all of these elements executed in a better manner in the past. Entertaining as the film may be, audiences should not be expecting anything wholly original with Unknown. Though this criticism is unlikely to deter fans of the cast or genre, it is still worth noting.
Just like the plot elements of Unknown borrow heavily from Taken and The Bourne Identity, the box office performance of this thriller also echoes the success of those Hollywood juggernauts. At 58, Neeson impressively took the top spot as the nation’s number one action star his opening weekend, taking in just in under $26 million. Despite some mixed critical reaction, audiences have been very receptive to Unknown, once again illustrating the crowd-pleasing tendencies of Liam Neeson. The combination of domestic and international box office receipts has helped Warner Bros. recover its production budget, but with the notoriously busy and successful month of March bringing many new offerings, it is unlikely that Unknown will see any impressive jumps in revenue. Forgetting that the film is far from perfect, fans of Neeson will be more than pleased with Unknown, at least until Taken II hits theaters.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
