Unknown (10/10)

by Tony Medley

Run time 109 minutes.

OK for children.

Two years ago Liam Neeson starred in a film released very early in the year, the graveyard time for films. It bucked the trend and became a breakout hit. So now he’s following it up with another tense film, releasing when most of what is out there in competition stinks.

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 that another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity.  Even his wife denies his existence. All alone in Berlin he’s not only perplexed, someone is trying to kill him. What’s going on?

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screenplay by Oliver Butcher & Stephen Cornwell, based on the novel by Didier van Cauwelaert, this is a non-stop, high tension thriller that doesn’t let up until the end.

Adding to the wonderful ambience of the film are the cinematography  (Flavio Labiano), production design (Richard Bridgland), and editing (Tim Alverson), which is so important to creating and maintaining pace. But what’s most important in these types of films is the music and this is replete with wonderful, mood-enhancing music by John Ottman and Alexander Rudd.

Martin’s only friend is the reluctant Gina (Diane Kruger, in a fine performance), a refugee who drove the cab in which Martin gets injured. Frank Langella makes one of his always convincing performances near the end of the film as Rodney Cole, a friend from the U.S. upon whom Martin relies to finally establish his identity to all the doubters.

Martin seems to be facing an insoluble problem, but when it all comes together at the end it makes perfect sense.