Unknown

Unkown 2011

A man awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman, he sets out to prove who he is.

Director:

 Jaume Collet-Serra

Writers:

 Oliver Butcher (screenplay), Stephen Cornwell(screenplay)

Stars:

 Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones.

This thriller is unlike the previous thrillers i have looked at as it has not been directed by Hitchcock however despite this it has many similarities with hitchcockian works featuring a maguffin and other key points accosted with Hitchcock.

The maguffin in this film is Martin Harris's breifcase as this is why he goes of in the first place and is then caught in the crash and falls into the coma.this is what builds the rest of the story as he starts to believe he is martin harris which we later learn he is not and it is just a cover as he is actually an assassin.

The film also features an enigma as we are unsure as to who the real Martin Harris is, we are led to believe that it is Liam Neeson but this is confusing as his own wife disowns him, we spend more than half of the film believing that some one has stole Neeson's identity and the "false" martin is trying to kill him off and keep is wife hostage.


It is a real surprise to the audience to find out that no only is there no real Martin Harris but that Neeson, his wife and "the impostor" are all part of an attempt to kill professor Bressler who had developed a genetically modified corn that would ease world hunger, and that they plan to kill him and steal his data on the project for the money.

The trailer also makes us believe that he is the real Dr Harris.


the film also contains some well used suspense, for example when Liam Neeson is in the subway, we get the feeling that he is being followed and so he gradually get faster as does a man behind him, we can see Neeson is worried about this man and due to this so do we the audience begin to feel worried, however it appears as though the man just didn't want to be late for his train as he doesn't appear to be interested in Neeson at all.