Movie Unknown

Unknown

This thriller is the way more modern than Hitchcock's 'Rope' or 'North By Northwest'. The movie 'Unknown' was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, released in 2011 and it was based on 2003 French novel by Didier Van Cauwalaert. 

In this thriller audience does not know the villain and the hero from the very beginning. Audience is made to believe that the main character, Dr Martin Harris, is the hero of the movie.

Dr Martin Harris (Liam Neeson)

The villain of the movie was not known till the very end. The only thing the audience is allowed to know is that Dr Martin Harris is wanted dead and people are trying to kill him. 

Jones (Stipe Erceg)

Smith (Olivier Schneider)

Car Chase Scene

Train Scene

In this thriller there is a lot of confusion and questioning. To make the thriller more effective on the audience, the director has used a lot of close-ups, fast editing and disorientating sounds. These effects makes the important scenes feel more unpredictable and intense.

The movie has frequent action and it makes the audience feel like they are the part of the movie and has no time to waste, no time for rest.

The McGuffin of the movie is Prince Shada who has a plan about how to provide food to whole world including starving countries.

This thriller stands perfectly in the lines of Todorov's Narrative Theory:

• (A state of equilibrium) Dr Martin Harris comes to Berlin with his wife to give a presentation.

• (A disruption of that order by event) Dr Martin Harris leaves his suitcase in an airport. While going back to take it he is involved into an accident.

• (A recognition that disorder has occurred) Dr Martin Harris wakes up in a hospital and leaves to look for his wife. His wife is acting like she does not know who he is and there is a new man called Dr Martin Harris.

• (An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption) Dr Martin Harris tries to find out what is going on. He seeks for help to figure out why someone would want his identity and afterwards he helps to save a lot of people.

• (A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium) Dr Martin Harris changes his name and starts a new life with a woman who helped him.