“Unknown” is a thriller movie made by American director Jaume Colet-Serra in 2011. He is also known for paintings such as "Child of Darkness" and "House of Wax". The painting was based on the book "Beyond Yourself" by the French writer Didier van Koveller.
Description of the movie "Unknown" 2011: the plot
A doctor named Martin Harris is in the German capital to attend an international biotechnology congress. However, everything is not going according to plan, when the main character gets into an accident during the trip, as a result of which there is a fall into the water. Martin is injured and goes into a coma for 4 days.
After waking up from a long sleep, he realizes that he partially lost some memories. Along with the memory, his documents are also lost. Upon returning to the hotel, the protagonist realizes that his own personality belongs to a completely different person. Moreover, Harris’s wife, who for some reason doesn’t recognize her own real husband, is next to the unknown.
Development of events
Martin is attempted several times; he makes the assumption that his existence is in the way of someone. To try to figure out an incomprehensible situation, Harris seeks help from a taxi driver named Gini, as well as a former Stasi agent. Thanks to them, memories gradually return to him. Now, a new difficulty arises in his way - the search for at least one person who could confirm the identity of the doctor.
The main character holds the way to the airport, where his suitcase with documents is located. He manages to remember the password from it with difficulty. After Martin Harris says goodbye to the taxi driver Gini, he meets with his old colleague Professor Cole. In front of the eyes of Gini, the protagonist is abducted by his old friend. A taxi driver steals a car and secretly rides after them.
The kidnapper Cole brings Martin to the parking lot and tries to explain to him that he is not a doctor at all, but in fact a professional killer who came to Germany to eliminate Professor Bressler during the biotechnology congress. Cole was the leader of this illegal operation. The studies of the professor, which consisted of attempts to develop a new variety of cereal, would subsequently inflict a severe financial blow on the food market.
Climax
Further, the plot of the 2011 film "Unknown" unfolds even more interesting: Cole tells Martin that the second, as a result of the accident, the invented legend about the scientist overshadowed his true identity. Because of this, representatives of the terrorist group were forced to replace Martin with another killer, whom the main character took for the person who assigned his biography. However, the operation was not canceled and the scientist was in danger.
Repentant Martin decides to prevent a terrible action, but before that he needs to hide from his pursuers. Thanks to Gina, he gets rid of ill-wishers and eliminates the threat to the professor, which he himself planned a couple of months ago.
Denouement
The 2011 film "Unknown" ends favorably. The main character, along with Gini, make new passports for themselves and leave to build life from scratch.
Cast: Front Roles
- Liam Neeson is an actor in the movie "Unknown" (2011), who played a major role in it.
The actor is also known for such heroes as Oscar Schindler ("Schindler's List"), Brian Mills ("Hostage"), Daniel ("Real Love"), Jean Valjean ("Les Miserables").
There are also serial pictures in the filmography: “If Tomorrow Comes”, “Capital Letter P”, “Life Is So Short” and “Miami Police: Department of Morals”.
In 1996, Liam Neeson was awarded the Volpi Cup for best actor in the movie Michael Collins, and for his work on the Schindler List, he was nominated for an Academy Award.
- Diane Kruger played the assistant to the protagonist - Gini.
The actress coped well not only with the role in the film "Unknown" 2011, according to the audience, but also with other works. So, in 2003 and 2017, she received two awards from the Cannes Film Festival. The first prize was awarded by Shopar as the best young actress, and the second for the Best Actress.
The best film projects with her participation: Troy, Merry Christmas, Obsession, Mr. Nobody, Inglourious Basterds and Obsession.
Supporting roles
- January Jones played the wife of the protagonist.
January Jones is also known for other projects: X-Men, Testament of Love, Rock Wave and Real Love (filmed with Liam Neeson).
The actress was nominated twice for the Golden Globe nomination in the category "Best Actress on TV" in 2009 and 2010.
- Aidan Quinn - Martin's “understudy” after losing the memory of the first.
Aidan Quinn starred in such films as "Legends of Autumn", "Benny and June", "Hello, Julie", "Song for Outcast" and others.
- Frank Langella played the anti-hero Cole.
Over the course of his long life, the actor has been nominated many times for honorary nominations: Actor Guild Award, Saturn, Oscar and Golden Globe.
Known for such paintings as Frost vs. Nixon, Lolita, The Ninth Gate and others.
In total, about 42 artists of diverse character starred in the film.
Seven interesting facts
1. According to the passport data in the film, Martin Harris had his date of birth on June 7th. It is noteworthy that the actor Liam Neeson, who played the main role, was born on the same day.
2. In the episode, where the characters travel in a taxi for three minutes, they pass by the T-34 tank.
3. Oliver Schneider, who played the role of a villain in glasses, also acted as a stunt director, however, not only in this film, but also in the film “Hostage,” where actor Liam Neeson also took part in the filming.
4. One of the arguments on which Diane Kruger agreed to play in the thriller was the fact of the presence of Liam Neeson. The fact is that she considers this actor one of the most talented artists of our time.
5. The main actor saw the ending of the picture only a year later, when he had already forgotten most of the episodes of the plot. As a result, Liam, judging by his reviews of the movie "Unknown" 2011, was amazed and shocked by the unexpected ending.
6. During the scene where the main character is stamped in the passport at the airport, a mark of the Ukrainian city of Odessa can be seen in front of her.
7. In 2017, a television series with the same name as the film "Unknown" 2011, a Russian director Vladislav Nikolaev, is released.
10 kinolapov
1. In the episode, when Elizabeth Harris tries to enter a password, the correct sequence sounds like Umbellularia Californica, but instead of this code, the girl types Umbellurlaria Californica.
2. Judging by the episode at the airport, the events of the film take place in the last month of autumn. At that time, police reform began in Berlin, as a result of which the symbols and colors of the service itself changed: instead of gray-green to blue. However, in the film, the police department walks in the form of an old model.
3. When the protagonist is at the hotel, the guard informs him that the Embassy of America is closed due to Thanksgiving. This is a real fact, but the scriptwriters did not take into account the fact that even during non-working and public holidays there is a special duty officer who takes emergency calls.
4. When Elizabeth inserts the flash drive into the scientist Bressler’s laptop, she zips the portable bag to the end. However, in the next episode, the bag looks already partially open, as a result of which the flash drive is also visible.
5. After Gina breaks the rear window in the car, water begins to fall into it, but in the previous paintings the cabin was already flooded.
6. The taxi driver’s English language sounds with an Eastern European accent, however, when she starts to speak German, her pronunciation disappears somewhere.
7. When a car chase occurs, a Mercedes crashes into a truck, as a result of which the trunk of a passenger car opens. But in the next episode, the back of the car is not damaged and tightly closed.
8. Also during the chase, another kinolap happens when the main character draws attention to the speedometer, showing the number 60. In the German capital, speed is measured in kilometers per hour. But 60 kilometers is the legal maximum pace. However, throughout the episode, the car moves at an incredible speed, and the roar of the motor is so loud, as if it were its final limit.
9. When a hotel explosion occurs, police cars arrive at the scene of the incident, but make the sounds of fire sirens.
10. During the first chase, the main character descends into the Berlin metro at a station called Voltastrasse, but, being at the very point, for some reason, there are other signs weighing Platz der Luftbrucke.
Reviews for the movie "Unknown" 2011
The picture has very successful ratings:
- Russian-language service "KinoPoisk" estimates the picture at 7.4 points out of 10;
- Ivi Online Cinema scores 7.8 out of 10;
- on the website cinema-theatre.ru the film is awarded 7.7 out of 10;
- according to the viewers of the world's largest IMDb database, the picture is awarded 6.9 points.
Determining the average rating for reviews, the film "Unknown" in 2011 has a fairly high rating (given the abundance of paintings on the market), which should be advised to all lovers of the thriller genre.