Unknown: Liam Neeson Knows How To Kick Ass

It’s understandable why some may liken Liam Neeson’s Unknown to his 2008 movie, Taken – I mean, even the posters look the same. But the main similarity between the two movies is Liam Neeson’s undeniable ability to mete out punishment to the bad guys, all the while, delivering entertaining and intelligent action movies to audiences everywhere. Here’s the breakdown:

When Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) wakes up from a coma, he finds his identity has been stolen. Even his wife (January Jones) doesn’t seem to know who he is. Confused and increasingly wary of foul-play, Harris enlists the help of a taxi driver (Diane Kruger) and an ex-spy (Bruno Ganz) to help him solve the mystery.

The Monkey: Liam Neeson proves, once again, that he has what it takes to be an action star. He’s able to make the audience genuinely care about his character, without getting soft or sentimental. Kruger has scant little to do in the movie, but what she does do, she does well. She’s pulled into Martin’s world of lies and betrayal with a believable amount of naïveté and survivor’s instinct. The real standout, however, is Bruno Ganz as Ernst Jürgen, former German spy and Martin’s unlikely ally. His presence dominates the screen, and he brings a level of class and distinction that helps elevate Unknown above your average action/thriller.

It’s hard for a movie nowadays to be both original and coherent; usually, a movie will sacrifice believability and cohesion in exchange for an utterly absurd and unpredictable twist, or else be painfully obvious from the very beginning. Unknown succumbs to neither pitfall, but manages to be original and pack quite the punch of an ending.

The Weasel: I can only hope January Jones does a better job on the much-lauded AMC series Mad Men and will pull off Emma Frost in the upcoming X-Men: First Class, because if Unknown is any indication of her acting abilities, I’ll avoid both at all cost. At least she was in mercifully few scenes; however, her existing scenes were so stilted and wooden, I half-expected to see marionette strings tied to her joints.

The film’s revelations were uncovered a bit suddenly, and with hardly any character development for Martin; there was barely any explanation for his actions during the film’s climax. The ending also dragged on slightly, illuminating some pacing issues that plagued the film throughout.

A solid, sophisticated action/thriller, Unknown will keep you guessing and bring me back to the theatre for repeat viewings.

4.5 Death Stars out of 5

What do you think? Did you find Unknown too similar to Taken? Did the ending satisfy you? Share your thoughts in the comments!

I Am Number Four: A Weak Set-Up To What Could Be A Promising Sequel

Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron make their major big-screen debuts in I Am Number Four, based on the young adult novel by Pittacus Lore (a pen name for James Frey’s “writing factory” worker, Jobie Hughes – more on that interesting tale here). Here’s the breakdown:

“John” (Pettyfer) is a Loric alien, one of nine sent to Earth for their protection, the last of their kind. The evil Mogadorians are slowly killing off the Loriens – they’ve killed Numbers 1 – 3 and John is next on their list. With the help of his guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant), John must do all he can to blend in to the small town of Paradise, Ohio. But when he falls in love with photographer Sarah (Agron), befriends the outcast Sam (Callan McAuliffe), and discovers more and more about his heritage, John finds himself on a life-changing adventure.

The Monkey: The acting was surprisingly good. Pettyfer is sufficiently smoldering and competent as the teenage leading man; Agron proves she has the potential to overcome her Glee roots; and Olyphant brings a much needed maturity with a solid performance as the archetypal selfless guardian. Relative newcomer Callan McAuliffe was an unfortunately underutilized member of the cast; his role as Sam was reminiscent of classic film sidekicks and one can only hope he’ll have a much larger part in any future installments of the series.

The movie’s third act was the most satisfying, bringing together the many story threads in a fiery explosion of action, remarkable effects and witty dialogue. I Am Number Four‘s gangbuster ending bodes well for the obvious sequel, presumably based on the as-yet published The Power of Six. And speaking of six – Teresa Palmer’s character, Number Six, while a late-comer, was much-needed and highly-welcome, giving the ending the necessary kick it needed and making me wish the movie was about her and titled I Am Number Six instead. She’s as bad-ass as they come, kicking, stabbing and shooting all the while delivering biting one-liners in a lilting Australian accent. Thanks to her, I’ll always remember that “Red Bull is for pussies.”

The Weasel: Alas, a decent final act does not a good movie make. The first two-thirds of I Am Number Four plays out like a freakish amalgamation of about every young adult fantasy series you can think of. From the Voldemort-esque baddies to the Twilight-esque (and vomit-inducing) angsty love story, I Am Number Four offers nothing new to the “I’m-an-awkward-teenager-because-I’m-not-human-and-I’m-destined-to-save-the-world-and-be-emo-while-I-do-it” genre. But it wasn’t just that the movie ripped so carelessly from previous material – it was that it did it so poorly. The Mogadorians were supposed to be scary, but came off like laughable buffoons; the love story between John and Sarah was supposed to be the crux of the movie, yet it was so ridiculously unbelievable and forced, I was practically begging for Robert Pattinson’s sparkly skin and Taylor Lautner’s abs. And when actors utter lines like, “She’s more than a girl” and “I think of nothing but you,” you have to wonder how the director kept a straight face behind the camera. It’s a credit to the actors and the special effects crew that this script was turned into an even remotely watchable movie. Writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar should stick to TV, which they can barely manage anyway.

The last 30 minutes make this movie almost worth sitting through, if for no other reason than to see Teresa Palmer’s Number Six be a total bad-ass. I’m hoping there is a sequel, as long as it uses her and McAuliffe’s Sam to greater effect.

2.5 Death Stars out of 5

What do you think? Have you read the book? Do you think Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron have successful film career potential? Are you looking forward to a sequel? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Cedar Rapids: Perfect Blend of Quirk & Raunch

Ed Helms, of The Office and The Hangover fame, finally gets a chance to shine as the leading man in Cedar Rapids, alongside Anne Heche and John C. Reilly. Here’s the breakdown:

Tim Lippe (Helms) is an insurance salesman from a small town in Iowa. When he unexpectedly is sent to the annual insurance convention in Cedar Rapids, Tim must make his company proud – by bringing home the convention’s top award. To help him along the way are fellow attendees Dean (Reilly), Joan (Heche) and Ronald (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.). But Tim finds Cedar Rapids to be a lot more than he bargained for.

The Monkey: Ed Helms proves he can carry a movie. He’s riotously funny, to be sure, but it’s his ability to maintain an emotional connection with the audience that makes him so successful. His “nerd with the heart of gold,” while done before, felt fresh and genuine. Phil Johnston’s script was a brilliant exercise in character development, but it was Helms’ performance that drove it home, making the story and character arcs believable and enjoyable.

Despite Helms’ solid performance, the supporting cast nearly upstaged him. John C. Reilly stole the show as the irreverent, boozing, womanizer, Dean. Reilly was over-the-top, yet surprisingly grounded, especially during the film’s more touching scenes. Dean could have been played to type, but Reilly gave the character just the right amount of heart to make him palatable and thoroughly memorable. Not to mention the fact that he delivered some of the most hilarious and sure to be oft-quoted lines of recent comedy memory. Heche’s Joan was a wonderfully complicated and three-dimensional version of the R-comedy female. She was funny and honest, with her heart on her sleeve and her mind in the gutter.

Cedar Rapids was peppered with cameos: Sigourney Weaver as Tim’s older lover; Rob Corddry as Gary the thug; and an uncredited Thomas Lennon as Tim’s convention-going predecessor.

Surprisingly, Cedar Rapids paired its engaging cast with an equally engaging script. The story was refreshingly unpredictable (has there ever been a movie made about an insurance convention?) and for every raunchy joke, there was a solid bit of emotional storytelling to go along with it – a rarity of the highest degree.

The Weasel: There was a subplot with a prositute, Bree (Alia Shawkat), which was either underdeveloped or unnecessary. And as original as the story was, the “socially-stunted-nerd-finds-his-way-in-the-world” theme was anything but.

Cedar Rapids delivers heart and humor in bucket loads and is sure to become an R-comedy favorite.

4 Death Stars out of 5

What do you think? Will Cedar Rapids join the ranks of popular comedies like The Hangover and The 40-Year-Old Virgin? Would you want to see Ed Helms and John C. Reilly team-up for another comedy romp? Share your thoughts in the comments below!