'Unknown'

'Unknown' (PG-13) (3 stars)

Writers: Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Laim Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz,
Frank Langella, Sebastian Koch, Karl Markovics

I love movies like "Unknown" if they are done half way decently. This is one of those puzzle movies that if not too dumb can entertain you if you don't think about it too deeply. So if you like those kind of movies where you have to piece together the puzzle sit back, suspend your disbelief and enjoy. Liam Neeson is now cornering the action market with "Taken" and now this movie. He is like a thinking man's Jason Statham. I think if "Unknown" is a success you might be seeing some of these type of action thrillers for Neeson periodically. "Taken" is an easy movie to forget like this one is but "Unknown" is gentler and tamer and not as nasty or violent. I am not sure that this movie makes any sense but I didn't care, I was having a blast and was glued to the screen. I can't go in to deeply about the plot but you have seen what the movie is about, sort of, in the trailers. There are a lot of surprises and of course a huge twist at the end that I actually liked. Liam Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris who has come with his wife (January Jones) to a scientific convention. Dr. Harris gets in a cab and gets in a terrible car accident. He wakes up in a hospital, can't remember anything and when he gets back to his wife again she doesn't remember him.

After the set up Dr. Harris tries to find out what the hell is going on and he enlists the help of the woman who drove the taxi. She is played by the beautiful Diane Kruger and I wish when I grabbed a cab someone who looked like her drove it. So she is his taxi driver? See what I mean about suspending disbelief? What comes after the set up is sometimes corny and dumb and sometimes exciting. Director Jaume Collet-Serra who has made really cheesy "B" movies so far does a good job keeping the pace moving fast enough to cover up the plot holes. The movie is fun and entertaining and there is good work by Aidan Quinn, Kruger and especially Bruno Ganz in a great supporting role. January Jones is okay but her acting for movies has to get sharper, here she seems lost and stiff. The movie lives and breathes on the charm and likability of Liam Neeson. We like following him and want him to succeed in straightening things out. He is also becoming a believable and solid action star, he kicks major ass and gains your sympathy when doing it. So sit back and have fun, "Unknown" might be far fetched but I will take it over nihilistic, ugly trash like "The Mechanic" any day.