Unknown Review (4/5)

Unknown is a far harder film to rate than most: while in its first half Liam Neeson's latest action thriller shows huge promise in the execution of its missing identity premise, the back end of the movie employs every retired trick in the book to keep things moving, and the whole experience suffers as a result. The plot focuses on Dr Martin Harris, an esteemed biologist who finds himself awaking from a coma, his alleged friends claiming never to have met him and his true identity a mystery thanks to amnesia. Neeson portrays Harris perfectly here as a confused, innocent man caught up in a seemingly accidental crisis, however the supporting cast don't fare as well; Diane Kruger and January Jones play characters trying to help (or hinder?) the protagonist, but neither their acting nor the script distinguishes them from shady allies found in other flicks of this type, and that these two are the most developed supporting characters in the entirety of Unknown doesn't do it any favours- Martin's pursuers are stereotypical henchmen with next to no motive other than carrying out a mission, barely uttering a word as they give chase. The worst crime this otherwise brilliant film commits, though, is to pull out twists so blindingly obvious and unoriginal that just about any viewer will be able to pick them up- a taxi heading down an uncharted route and Martin losing phone signal just before the crash? Check, that isn't a blatant signpost for danger to the audience at all. Kruger's character speaks to a friend in the doorway, closes the door, then opens it again expecting to see the friend again? Check, definitely not a baddie about to make us jump when she opens the door. Occassions such as these just highlight Unknown's over-reliance on well established gimmicks used to build tension, and were it not for the careless blunders of the script and the film moving from mystery to simple action in its final quarter I would be able to give it full marks. As it is, Unknown is a class act thriller masked by its lack of innovation, and as such will be remembered as a good, but not fantastic indication of the heights Liam Neeson can reach at the box office.