There have been many thrillers about amn
esia — the Bourne films likely the first to come to mind. But in Unknown, botanist Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) has an even bigger problem. After he and his wife land in Berlin for a conference, he is in an auto accident. When he wakes after a four-day coma, he discovers that no one else, not even his wife, knows who he is. Complicating his situation, a man who claims to be Dr. Harris (Aidan Quinn) has taken his place.
The star of Unknown was pulled into the story from the start. “For me, it’s always the script, and this was a real page-turner,” Neeson asserts. “My litmus test is this: if I can get to page 50 without stopping for a tea break, then it’s a very good sign. This was such good material that I had to read it all in one sitting.”
“From the moment Martin Harris wakes up and is told he is no longer the man he knows he is, we want to know what is happening,” says director Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan). “None of us can imagine what it would be like to have someone steal not only our identity, but everything that makes us who we are, even our family and friends. What would we do? How would we take back our life?”
January Jones, who plays Mrs. Harris, says of the story, “It reminded me of those old spy movies, with a sense of danger and intrigue, but also a hint of glamour to it.”
And, of course, there is the question of is she pretending not to know the truth, or is Harris not the man he thinks he is? To say much more would be to give too much away, and in Unknown, guessing the outcome is part of the entertainment.
“Unknown” is now showing on Video On Demand. Check your cable system for availability.
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© 2011 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
