Liam Neeson lost in Berlin
From Taken (2008), Liam Neeson he made a series of action films. And very often, the actor played quite similar characters, an investigator or a former agent with very particular abilities that allow him to KO anyone he encounters. This resulted in many failures, such as the mediocre Blacklight (2022). But some productions have been able to be smarter in how they use the actor’s aura. This is the case of Without identity (2011)Jaume Collet-Serra’s fourth feature film after Esther (2009), and the first of four collaborations (to date) between the star and the director.
In this film, Liam Neeson plays a doctor named Martin Harris. A simple man, married to Elizabeth (January Jones), who will travel to Berlin to participate in a specialized conference on genetics. Nothing particularly exciting was said this way. Except that, once he arrives at the hotel, Martin realizes that he has forgotten his briefcase with his documents at the airport. He then takes a taxi back. But along the way a car accident occurs which leaves him in a deep coma. A few days later, when he wakes up, Martin goes to look for his wife, but the latter no longer recognizes him and now she’s with another man…
Without identity, but many twists and turns
From the French novel I lose control by Didier van Cauwelaert, published in 2003, Without Identity therefore starts from an intriguing scenario with a first unexpected twist for the viewer. We then wonder if Martin has gone mad, if he is the victim of a conspiracy or if he is even still in a coma and dreaming. And we carefully follow his investigation, conducted together with the taxi driver (Diana Kruger). If Jaume Collet-Serra’s direction is effective, it is above all the revelations about the film that arouse the interest of Without identity.
Because the film manages to keep you in suspense until the end, after a big twist on Martin’s true identity. An inversion that changes completely our perception of the character and leads him to question his past actions and motivations (see our explanations of the ending).
Without identity it’s one of the most convincing films of its kind starring Liam Neeson, and audiences weren’t wrong. The feature film was very profitable as it grossed more than $135 million worldwide for a budget of “only” 30 million dollars. A success that gave birth to ideas for a sequel, ten years later, with a series that had been planned. But to date this spin-off project has not yet seen the light.
Source: Cine Serie
Ray Ortiz is a journalist at Gossipify, known for his coverage of trending news and current events. He is committed to providing readers with accurate and unbiased reporting, and is respected for his ability to keep readers informed on the latest news and issues.
