Unknown

Oscar nominated Liam Neeson returns to the big screen in Unknown – a role more familiar to his exploits in Taken than his appearance in Love Actually.

Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris, a scientist visiting Berlin for a highly important Biochemistry summit.

Shortly after arriving, Harris is involved in an accident, receiving a blow to the head, causing him to enter a coma and awaken four days later with amnesia.

Harris begins to piece together his memory but, when he returns to his hotel, there is an imposter in his place, someone that even his wife (Mad Men’s January Jones) believes to be the real Martin Harris.

Things go from bad to worse for Neeson’s character, as he is pursued across the city by a team of men intent on taking his life. Harris enlists the help of illegal immigrant Gina (Diane Kruger), and former East German spy Ernst Jurgen (Bruno Ganz) as he attempts to seize back his identity.

The film is a textbook thriller, with a plot that twists and turns superbly. This, combined with the pace of the film, prevents the audience from knowing what may be in store for the characters in the next scene, let alone at the end of the film.

The film is let down, however, by a lack of big set piece moments; a car chase through the streets of Berlin doesn’t really have that little bit extra that really makes you fear for the character, and the ending is abrupt, leaving more than a few questions unanswered.

As a leading man, Neeson carries the role well, stepping back in the the character set that made Taken such a smash. He is abley assisted by the likes of Ganz who brings an air of black humour to the film.

Overall Unknown is an enjoyable way to pass a couple of hours, but is in no way a classic. Perhaps it is best to wait for it to be relegated to the ‘two for £20’ section in HMV, after it’s DVD release.