Unknown

I seemed to find the trailers better than the movie. They did their job and made me interested in watching UNKNOWN. The interest waned early. A simple premise laking in scenery. Five men wake up in a chemical warehouse not knowing why they are there; let alone know how in the hell they got there. Confusion and paranoia brings with it fear and distrust. The men learn that a kidnapper is on his way with plans to kill his hostages. Now the men size each other up trying to distinguish if all are victims and who may actually be one of the kidnappers. The cast includes: Jim Caviezel, Greg Kinnear, Joe Pantoliano, Bridget Moynahan, Barry Peppper, David Selby and Adam Rodriguez.

Since the characters begin with "Unknown" identities, they not identified by name, so you start with handsome James Caviezel waking up in a warehouse. He finds out the place is locked up tight. Don't ask - the windows are made with security glass, and it's impossible to get out. Four other awakening men make it a quintet - Mr. Caviezel in his "Jean Jacket", Barry Pepper in a "Ranger Shirt", Greg Kinnear with a "Broken Nose", Joe Pantoliano as a chair "Bound Man", and Jeremy Sisto shot and "Handcuffed Man". Oh, Man These five men have collective amnesia. They think that three of them are kidnappers, and two are victims - but, they don't know who is which or which is who. The forgetfulness is due to a pipe leak. Don't ask - it happens. Meanwhile, on the outside, lead lawman David Selby (as Parker) sends his cops to solve the kidnapping while one of the men's wives, Bridget Moynahan (as Eliza Coles), frantically waits. But, criminal element's gang leader, Peter Stormare in "Snakeskin Boots", is also on his way to the scene. Like the DVD synopsis says, "As secrets are revealed and clues unraveled, (the five men) must race against time to figure out who is good and who is evil in order to stay alive." This story reads a lot better than it looks on film, unfortunately. When the secrets are finally revealed, and memories become clear, there is no longer much interest in what has happened. Simply, director Simon Brand has a great premise with Matthew Waynee's idea, but they encumber light investment in the characters holding the short end of the stick. **** Unknown (11/1/06) Simon Brand ~ James Caviezel, Barry Pepper, Greg Kinnear, David Selby

In a remotely located, locked warehouse, somewhere on the low desert, perhaps in southern California or near there, several men gradually awaken, as if from a toxic slumber or coma, with nearly total amnesia for their identities and past events. It is obvious to all that they are imprisoned here. As they regain their wits (indicating that there is no permanent damage to their ability to form new memories), they find few if any clues to help them understand how they have gotten to this place and into this predicament, or how they are interconnected. One man is wounded, has lost blood, and is shackled by one wrist to a steel banister. These guys do not for a second trust each other: everyone is suspicious that other members of this little band are perpetrators of the predicament in which they collectively find themselves. Flashbacks slowly permit the viewer's construction of a context for comprehending the circumstances in which these men find themselves, but the brief glimpses we see of past events are not only ephemeral but often shadowy, and different images are seen by different characters, making the assemblage of a coherent picture nearly impossible for them, given the level of distrust among them, and, thus, a decided reticence to share information. Outsiders begin to call in on the telephone, but these contacts raise more questions than they answer. What's going on here? Who are the good guys, and the bad? And over what issues are they in conflict?. This compelling whodunwhat drama dishes out bracingly realistic imagery and conjures circumstances that are plain scary. This is Sartre's "No Exit" redux, but with several more players, not to mention more menace. I can't say any more about the plot without being a spoilsport. If you like suspense and paranoia-wracked proceedings (if, for example, you liked Darren Aronofsky's film "Pi," Soderbergh's "Kafka," the Nolan Brothers' "Memento," or Christian Bale's cadaveresque presence in "The Machinist"), you'll definitely enjoy this unsettling movie. The fine cast includes James Caviezel, Greg Kinnear, Joe Pantoliano, Barry Pepper, Jeremy Sisto and Peter Stormare. This is a successful directorial debut for Simon Brand. My grades: 7.5/10, B+ (Seen on 11/21/06).

Okay, there is some 'action' scenes that make it good for a 2-hour getaway. But c'mon! It's laughable beyond the action when one considers for a moment what it's trying to make us accept or believe. Such as: --Forgetting the 'brief case' with all the pass ports, information is unfathomable. -- He rushes back to the airport to get it without so much as a hint to the 'wife' that he's doing so. -- What does 'oz' mean everywhere? Another blogger already noticed that. -- Why did the 'wife' go into the suite to onhook the bomb because her face still would've been recorded when they were there 3 months prior anyway! -- And why didn't she break the wall out further to get to the bomb deactivate system, rather than reaching down blindly down through the wall and blowing herself up anyway? -- Why did the hardened, East German spy readily eat cyanide just because that old rogue showed up at his apartment? Why'd he give in so soon, when he could've killed him as a trespasser or robber? -- Why was it that the only two people catching a train was Liam and the other hit dude? -- Save your money and go see instead: Barney's Version.