Review of the DVD of the Unknown, starring Liam Neeson (spoiler alert)

I have to admit I watched the movie, Unknown, starring Liam Neeson with some trepidation. I had read several reviews of the film when it first came out last January, and nearly everyone of them said that you can't go into the movie expecting to see Taken II (that is actually in the process of being made as we speak, or at least the screenplay is being written). I loved Liam Neeson in Taken and have watched the movie three-or-four times since it came out on DVD. Like most other viewers of Unknown, I couldn't help myself and subconsiously was hoping for something along the lines of the Taken. I mean I wanted to see Liam Neeson take on a dozen guys and win! Did that happen? Yes and no.

The Unknown deals with scientist, Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neelson), arriving in Berlin with his younger, beautiful wife (January Jones), to attend a conference concerning the global growing of foods for the poverty-stricken areas of the world. When Harris reaches the hotel, he realizes his briefcase was accidently left behind at the airport. Without telling his wife, who's standing at the hotel's front desk, he hops in a cab driven by Diane Kruger (she was Helen in Troy with Brad Pitt). On the way, Harris encourages Kruger's character to take shortcuts and to speed up. Unfornately, and accident occurs and Harris wakes up in the hospital after being unconsious for a number of days. He can remember some things, but not others.

When Harris leaves the hospital and returns to the hotel, Security there has a difficult time believing his bizarre story, especially since he was never reported missing. They do, however, escort him in to a party that his wife is attending. Not only does she not know who he is, there's another man (Aidan Quinn) with her who claims to be her actual husband, Martin Harris. This man also has proof that he's Dr. Harris. Liam Neeson's character returns to the hospital, not understanding what's going on, believing he might, in fact, be going totally crazy. That is until an assassin tries to kill him. From that point on, he's on the run, seeking help from anyone who will accept his story, including the cab driver from the accident and a private detective, whom he hires to find out the truth.

I remember one well-known movie critic saying that he guessed the ending of the film by the halfway mark. I, unfornately, did not. In hindsight, it all falls into place, but while watching the movie, I was trying to figure out the ending, as did most everyone else who saw it. This was the fun of the film...the not knowing. I thoroughly enjoyed it much to my surprise and certainly intend to watch it again. I certainly thought the script was very, very good with a great twist at the end. The acting of everyone in the movie was excellent. The director captures the allure of Berlin perfectly, showing us parts of the city that the majority of viewers have never seen before. The music helped to keep up the intensity and suspense of the film right up to the last exploding scene in the hotel.

Okay, did Liam Neeson have a chance to do his Taken rountine in this film. Yes, he did. He has a great fight scene to the death with a killer, who knows who he really is. This made me even more eager to see the Taken II when it finally comes out some time in 2012.

There's a good documentary on the making of the film on the DVD, which is fun to watch. So, if you're a big fan of Liam Neeson and his film, Taken, then give the Unkown a shot. Remember that the fight scene doesn't happen till the end, so don't be impatient. Enjoy the ride and see if you can guess what's going on.