The surprise hit Taken, from 2008, contained a number of red meat pleasures, but chief among them was Liam Neeson's reinvention as an action hero, turning his trademark wounded brusqueness and gentle-giant physique towards... more » new, head-clunking avenues. Despite an ad campaign that makes it appear to be a direct action-packed continuation of that earlier film, Unknown proves to be a somewhat different creature--a sleek mystery that occasionally gives in to temptation and lets its hulking star call down the righteous thunder. Based on a novel by Didier Van Cauwelaert, the story follows a mild-mannered botanist in Berlin with his wife (Mad Men's January Jones) for a mysterious scientific conference. After a freak car accident, he wakes up in the hospital with scrambled memories, missing identification, and--most ominously--someone else claiming to be him. Director Jaume Collet-Serra, previously responsible for the admirably berserko Orphan, handles the early paranoiac cloak-and-dagger passages with aplomb (and delivers one quick beaut of a car chase), but proves less sure-footed when the story drifts towards more conventional Bourne-style punch-ups. Thankfully, Neeson does a fine job keeping things grounded whenever the narrative starts to wander, with able support from Diane Kruger as a cab driver unwillingly along for the ride. There's the germ of a genuinely intriguing, thoughtful thriller inside Unknown--particularly during a superbly minimalist scene between supporting cast members Frank Langella and Bruno Ganz--but it mostly seems content to stay within the realm of a high-pedigreed, reasonably taut action film. Which isn't all that bad of a thing, really. --Andrew Wright« less
Not Liam Neeson's finest work but a must if a fan!
Mary B. from FALLS CITY, OR Reviewed on 8/28/2018...
A little slow compared to other Liam Neeson movies, but still well worth watching it. I enjoyed it.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Patricia K. (decopatty) from ROANOKE, VA Reviewed on 12/17/2016...
suspense movie ,liked a lot
0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Chuck B. (ChuckB4Me) from WENTZVILLE, MO Reviewed on 11/20/2014...
Definitely worth watching, just like the character - you don't know who he really is either!
2 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Kristian L. (Katomine) from PRESCOTT, AZ Reviewed on 9/16/2013...
Definitely a great film. Liam Neeson is superb! Edge of your seat thriller and mystery. Definitely a must watch.
2 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Trudy S. from TUCSON, AZ Reviewed on 4/28/2013...
I thought it was excellent. A fast moving movie..it didn't drag!
3 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Charlene C. (mccoffield) from SOUTHLAKE, TX Reviewed on 12/11/2011...
This DVD was an early Christmas present to my husband from some friends of ours, who said they thought the movie was a really good one. My husband watched it, this weekend, and said that he really enjoyed it -- a really good mystery plot, lots of twists and turns and action. He highly recommends it!
9 of 10 member(s) found this review helpful.
Jeremy A. from REISTERSTOWN, MD Reviewed on 7/22/2011...
I didn't finish watching this movie. After forty bored minutes of wishing I was watching 'Taken' I turned it off. There might be a good ending that I didn't see, but I doubt it would be worth waiting for.