Unknown Identity

Der Verlust vom Gedächtnis, das winterliche Berlin, Geheimagenten, Autoverfolgungen, eine kalte Femme fatale, ein arabischer Scheich, eine vertrauenswürdige und sympathische Taxifahrerin, ein genialer Wissenschaftler, mächtige Strippenzieher, Auftragsmörder, eine unerwartete Wende. Und auch eine ausgezeichnete Schauspielbesetzung. Alles ist da, nur in einer Recycling-Version, die ab und zu überladen ist. Im vorigen Film Orphan - Das Waisenkind ist es Serra gelungen, unerwartet mit Genre-Klischees zu arbeiten. Die einzige Filmszene, die es verdient hat, dass man sie im Gedächtnis behält, ist das finstere, stimmungsvolle Treffen der Schauspieler-Asse Bruno Ganz und Frank Langella. (01.05.2011)

A step backwards from Orphan, though it looks very promising at the beginning. A Hitchcockican hero with the world turned against him wanders around in snowy Berlin, trying to figure out who he is. And when he does figure it out, everything goes to hell. A decent thriller, but it had a lot more potential. (31.05.2011)

Unknown doesn't come up with groundbreaking or new. By unraveling the puzzle surrounding the main character's identity(ies), it additionally brings back into play one recent fashion wave, BUT... Jaume Collet-Serra proves once again, after the brilliant Orphan, that his first film was a necessary evil for its time in order for him to enter Hollywood, and only now can he show what all is brewing within him. I won't lament the plot, which again follows a template that has been seem many times. Serra has a way with actors that is absolutely perfect, and his baby works especially when he’s playing the paranoia card. The ending, however, offers something that has not failed to amaze me of late. That something is the current acting position of Liam Neeson, who, on the verge of sixty, has switched to the role of uncompromising action hero who hides under the guise of civilian ordinariness, only to shoot accurately and deliver a hard hits at the right moment. His ruthless charisma permeates the entire film and makes you forget that it doesn't fit the logic in places. PS: The extremely kind Arab sheik and a former Stasti member as positive characters? :) (27.05.2011)

Many reviews here mention something about a (dumb) punchline suffering from lapses in logic. Quite on the contrary, I think that the story logically (whether or not clever, is a different matter) links and smooths out apparent over-complexity and lapses in logic with something that makes sense, but you must bear in mind that this is a genre movie not pretending to be anything more, so it would be naive to expect anything sophisticated à la Hitchcock. And it works fine, the same as the story in the last thirty minutes. When you add to this the uncompromising Neeson, the snowy atmosphere of Berlin and the great car chases, then... You simply have a quality genre movie. (03.06.2011)

After reading the plot summary I made a bet with myself as to whether I would give 4 or 5 stars. Unfortunately, I lost in both cases and I'm still quite disappointed. The whole movie kind of unfolds without surprises with a lot of unnecessary car chases. Only the excellent ending is above average. Otherwise nothing new under the sun. A little better 3 stars. (02.07.2011)

Liam “hard-guy" Neeson is hitting people again. Although this isn’t as effective as Taken, it is still very, very entertaining. The main problem of Unknown is the fairly strange screenplay that wanted to surprise so much that toward the end I was gritting my teeth at just how artificial it was. But I liked it. Both Diane Kruger and January Jones are nice to look at, Neeson is right at home in this type of role and Bruno Ganz got to me the moment he opened the door. Otherwise, nice car chases, easy-to-follow action and the story... erm, unusual. A decent genre movie. (26.05.2011)

Der perfekte Film für eine Rückkehr aus Berlin. Während das echte Berlin eine Stadt ist, die einem den Atem raubt, dient in diesem Film vor allem die Gegend um das Brandenburger Tor als Achse der Geschichte. Und dass das Ganze auf Liam Neesons schauspielerischer Sicherheit aufbaut, schadet natürlich auch nicht. Außerdem werde ich Sebastian Koch nie verschmähen. (19.09.2013)

The final plot resolution is very interesting and not at all predictable. The action is scarce, but when it occurs, it has drive, and in fact, it is all somewhat “Bourne-like”, including the excellently utilized winter and freezing Berlin full of gray streets, dirt, homeless people, contrasted by luxury hotels, cars, and Arab sheikhs. Everything around the mysterious group of people is cold, raw, and uncompromising, while on the other hand, Liam Neeson is very down-to-earth and believable (as it’s his standard). They relied on a proven template from recent years, and they definitely did not spoil the result, which is a skillfully directed story with good performances. Bruno Ganz is monumental. (22.07.2011)

Ein gelungener Thriller, der so wirkt, als ob er in das Jahr 2011 aus den 70er Jahren gekommen wäre – aus der Zeit, in welcher Meisterwerke wie Ipcress - Streng geheim, Finale in Berlin oder Das Quiller Memorandum - Gefahr aus dem Dunkel entstanden sind. Alles, was man sieht (das seltsam stimmungsvolle und düstere Berlin, Neeson, der immer härter wird, die sympathische Diane Kruger, den charismatischen Bruno Ganz, eine der besten Verfolgungsjagden der letzten Zeit) und hört (die gelungene Musik von Ottman) ist ausgezeichnet. Die Wendung am Ende ist keine große Wendung, ich kann mich über sie aber nicht beschweren. Schade, dass es im Finale von Unknown Identity ein paar fürchterliche Klischees gibt. Ich gebe dem Film aber trotzdem vier Sterne. Ich fand ihn unterhaltsam und spannend.__Ein Stichelei-PS: Ich habe keine Ahnung, was an dem Film mysteriös sein soll. (07.09.2011)

Ein hervorragender Thriller mit meinen Lieblingen Liam Neeson und Diane Kruger. Gut aufgebaute Spannung, ein gutes Drehbuch und eine für mich unerwartete Pointe. Diane Kruger bestätigt ihr riesiges sprachliches Talent, sie kann mit Akzenten sprechen, nur hat der Regisseur in einer Szene nicht bemerkt, dass sie neben Englisch mit Balkan-Akzent dies auch in Deutsch hätte beibehalten sollen :-) Aber das ist nur ein Detail, es sei ihnen verziehen. (05.06.2011)

Liam Neeson has transformed into a hero of action thrillers. The man whom most of us still see as the mentoring Qui-Gon Jinn has already delivered good performances in films such as "The Grey" or "Taken". His role in the movie "Unknown" is similar. He is not a kind person on the side of good, but rather a person who suddenly, out of nowhere, loses his identity. At one moment he is Martin Harris, who arrives at a conference in Berlin. In the next moment, he is in a taxi that plunges into a river. After four days, he wakes up from a coma, seeking his wife, but discovers that she is already with another Martin Harris. As Neeson has no documentation, he cannot prove who he really is. A suspenseful journey through the countryside begins, the search for identity and also the truth. Diane Kruger supports him excellently in this, and I have already forgiven her for "Troy". Together, they flee from place to place, wanting to gather as much information as possible, but there is little of it. In the end, they uncover the truth. There is one problem with films like "Unknown". The audience has high expectations. I think that the twist might bring mild disappointment, but that doesn't change the fact that you will simply enjoy the film with Liam. He is a likable guy, whether he plays a good guy or a reformed good guy. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/07/happy-feet-2-bobr-cislo-4-musketyri.html (23.02.2013)