Today’s quick review: Unknown. Five men (Jim Caviezel, Greg Kinnear, Joe Pantoliano, Barry Pepper, Jeremy Sisto) wake up in a dilapidated warehouse with no memory of who they are or what happened to them. The scant clues they can find point to a kidnapping gone wrong, but the men have no way to tell which of them are the kidnappers and which of them are the victims. To find a way out, they must first find a way to trust each other.
Unknown is a crime thriller that drops five amnesiacs into a complex situation whose outcome depends not only on their past but on the content of their character. The movie toys with issues of trust and identity, using amnesia to construct a logically and morally perplexing situation. The film has little in the way of action or dramatic brilliance, but its intriguing plot and decent execution are enough to make it a worthwhile watch.
Unknown shows promise but doesn’t live up to its full potential. The acting flutters between skilled and lackluster, never sinking to budget levels but never quite capturing the full drama of the situation. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep the viewer hooked, but the answers are mundane compared to the setup. The script does a good job of playing the characters off one another but isn’t particularly memorable.
Give Unknown a shot when you’re in the mood for a minimalistic crime drama with a mysterious premise. The movie is far from extraordinary, but it avoids any major mistakes and should be enough to please fans of the crime genre. For a much more compelling take on a similar premise, check out Reservoir Dogs. For a warehouse shootout with a touch of comedy and a touch of mystery, check out Free Fire.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for an interesting premise and mixed execution.