Unknown with Liam Neeson

Written by Jonathan Jacobs

Unknown is the most thrilling film about espionage I have ever seen. Nobody does it better than Liam Neeson. There is no actor superior to Frank Langella when it comes to playing a nefarious chameleon. He is the ultimate villain. If he had lived during Shakespearean times there would have been legends written about his performances. If you have ever been on the fence about seeing a movie at the theater, this is your big chance. I promise you that Unknown is spellbinding. It is a heart-pounding biotechnology thriller that deserves every bit of acclaim pundits will heap on it.

Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) is a university professor from America. Martin and his wife Elizabeth Harris (January Jones) are in Berlin for a critical bioengineering conference devoted to solving world hunger. In addition to reknown technologists, prominent foreign leaders will be in attendance. Prince Shada (Mido Hamada) of Egypt is interested in gathering biotechnology to improve his country's ability to feed its population. Upon his arrival at the airport, Martin accidentally leaves his briefcase behind. It is unclear if Liz orchestrated having the bag left behind. Inside of the bag is his passport, most of his German currency, and proof of identification. The instant Martin and Liz arrive at their hotel he recognizes the bag is lost and goes to retrieve it at a break-neck speed.

Along the way Martin and his driver Gina (Diane Kruger) are involved in a brutal car accident that sends them hurling over a highway bridge. She escapes by smashing her windows and then rescues Dr. Harris from suffocating by drowning. After calling the paramedics, Gina disappears. She is an illegal resident in Germany and cannot afford to be detected by the authorities. This leaves the nearly lifeless Dr. Harris in a difficult position.

Four days later Dr. Harris awakens in a hospital in Berlin. He is puzzled and does not remember the details surrounding the crash. Liz has not been to visit and he has no credentials to establish his identity. Suffering from partial amnesia and possibly delusional, Martin returns to the hotel to speak with his wife. He believes Liz will be worried sick. Instead, when he arrives, she is with another man. The other man claims to be Dr. Martin Harris (Aidan Quinn) and labels the “real” Martin Harris an impostor. Liz feigns innocence and tells the hotel authorities that the man claiming to be Dr. Harris is obviously distraught and terribly mistaken.

In order to escape detention, the legitimate Dr. Harris (Neeson) returns to the hospital to speak with his doctor. In the hospital his nurse provides the number of a former East German security professional (the German version of an MI6 or a CIA operative), Ernst Jürgen (Bruno Ganz). On the train and in the hospital, while in a state of daze and confusion, Dr. Harris is chased by a killer (Olivier Schneider as Smith). The only hope the Professor has for proving his innocence and identity is convince the inspector of the veracity if his incredible story. He can only do this by finding the runaway taxi cab driver or by contacting his best friend and colleague Rodney Cole (Langella) to provide confirmation of his identity.  Former inspector Ernst believes Martin’s story and investigates to the best of his ability and with several resources at his disposal. Having failed to reach Rodney, Martin convinces Gina (never underestimate how seductive money can be) to meet with Ernst in order to share her recollections. Their goal is to restore Dr. Harris’ memory to piece together the puzzle. Harris recalls his itinerary, the scholars he is supposed to meet with, and the locations of the preliminary gatherings. Everybody Martin comes into contact with winds up in mortal danger.

It is important to stress that inasmuch as the story is captivating in and of itself, the action is unrelenting. Dr. Harris is continually chased, and each revelation leads to an even more exciting discovery. Viewers will wonder whether Dr. Harris is really who he says he is, and if so if he is the hero or the villain? The truth is masterfully obfuscated by Director Jaume Collet-Serra to sustain and heighten the suspense. There are high impact car chases, high-speed evasions on trains, and monstrous explosions. The fight scenes are realistic and the violence complements the storyline developments nicely. There are no extraneous actions in the entire film.

Liam Neeson has outdone himself. I thought he was exciting in Taken, but in Unknown he brought his acting to an unparalleled level. I find that the best films present a story within a story. This is exactly what makes Unknown so riveting. Until late in the film it is anybody’s guess as to who Professor Harris really is and what his true intentions are. Did he have an accident that derailed everybody’s plans for the biotech conference, or was his car wreck planned all along? Diane Kruger is a masterful supporting actress in action films. She blends in well with costars and looks beautiful in the process. Kruger is seductive but not slutty, intelligent but not arrogant, and loyal but not obvious. Good action movies are easy to come by, but stunningly great ones are a rare breed. Unknown will keep you excited for all 113 minutes. Never go to the bathroom, and for goodness sake, pay attention to every detail. Anything can change in the blink of an eye.