UNKNOWN a movie in review

Tweet

UNKNOWN has a cast of notable if not A-list actors: Jim Caviezel, Greg Kinnear, Bridget Moynahan, Barry Pepper, Joe Pantoliano, Jeremy Sisto, and Peter Stormare. This cast comes together in a plot shooting for the ever coveted claim to being “high concept” (inventive and original): Five men wake up in a locked-down warehouse with no memory of who they are. They must figure out who is good and who is bad in order to survive. This film was not a wide release and probably darted into the movie stores under the radar of most film buffs. If one were wishing to rent UNKNOWN they would probably have to search Blockbuster because the chain gained exclusive rights to the rental. However, I wouldn’t rush to find it any time soon. Director Simon Brand does a fine job with the material as far as looks and such go. It is in the story concept itself that things become muddled. The plot centers around amnesia and in this case the forgetfulness is a chemical induced one that really takes a stretch of imagination for the viewer to accept. “Let it ride and see where things go for the sake of entertainment.”, I said to myself. The “ride” takes the viewer on a series of twists and turns that are not completely predictable, but close enough. Your subconscious seems to pick up on what is going to happen right before it does even if you don’t realize it and when the impact comes you are not so surprised. Maybe I just discovered the directors flaw then? Lack of any real story has this film depending on these twists and after so many you just don’t care anymore; good guys are bad, bad guys are good, but no then they are bad and good again and what? Why? Why IS the what…as in why did I bother renting this? What a waste of 96 minutes. Unknown will be an Unknown film to many, but hopefully some folks who rent at Blockbuster will come across reviews like this one and choose their rentals wisely. They are trying to sell a “high concept” plot with this one and I just don’t think anyone should buy it. It is tricky to pull off something interesting with amnesia and a person can get a better fix from a film like MEMENTO. find more of my reviews at www.literaryillusions.com