Unknown – Movie Review

I liked this movie.  It isn’t Shakespeare and it’s certainly not Liam’s best work, but it has some dysphoric strangeness at times that will have you questioning how ‘you’ would react in a situation where you couldn’t convince anyone, not even your wife, that you were yourself.

Liam Neeson (Excalibur) leads this action thriller as Dr. Martin Harris a buzzing biotech researcher that’s been invited to Paris to present at a world-wide convention.  In a rushed drive to the airport, he falls victim to a car accident and awakens days later with no passport or identification.  Convinced his wife is desperately scouring the streets of Paris looking for him, he returns to their hotel only to find that another man has taken his identity and his wife is blatantly oblivious to his existence.  Determined, he recruits help from a local day worker Gina and a tenacious private investigator to help him piece his believed life back together.

It’s weird to watch someone go through a deconstruction of their inner beliefs.  I know who I am, why doesn’t anyone else believe me?  Neeson’s portrayal of Harris is both strong and vulnerable.  At times he makes you feel for his familial loss; at others you can see why this now 58 year old is still a viable kick-ass action star.  The real key is his voice.  It can portray anger, conviction, and determined resolve in such a mellifluous manner.  He needs to do more voice overs.

I was very pleased to see a graduated performance from January Jones (Anger Management) as Harris’ wife Elizabeth.  Not just a pretty face on display, she showed growth in her ability to act like an actor.  Witness the scene where she and Martin meet for the first time after the accident and you’ll be convinced.  Playing too small of a part, but very vital to the story was Frank Langella (Brainscan) as a life-long friend of Harris’ who arrives in Paris to help out.  Always a delight is Diane Kruger (National Treasure) asGina , a day worker who comes to Harris’ aid.  Her acting is never transparent thankfully, but even in this vehicle it’s very difficult not to focus on her striking looks and vibrant accent.

Unknown has a solid opening and a very revealing ending but the 2^nd act is where it loses a bit of steam.  Still, watching Neeson kick ass while wrecking downtown Paris was just pure fun.  This movie won’t hit the magic $100 million mark because of the lull in its center, but it has enough surprise explosions and a cool (but used) plot twist that will keep viewers interested.

7 Khoon Maaf gets Mixed Reviews and Mixed Performance at Boxoffice

While Priyanka Chopra’s performance has been given a thumbs up, not all critics are happy with the flow of the film. While some say the movie loses its grip after the first hour, others feel the intense study of grief and grime is successful in touching the soul. 
Says Taran Adarsh (Bollywood Hungama), "7 Khoon Maaf works in parts. A few stories – involving Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham, Irrfan Khan and Annu Kapoor – are absorbing, while at least two could’ve been better narrated – Naseeruddin Shah and Aleksandr Dyachenko. The unfortunate part is that the uninteresting ones come in the latter half and coupled with its excessive length, the impact generated by a captivating first hour gets diluted in the process. Even the culmination doesn’t sweep you off your feet." 



"This is a tough story to pull off and despite the voluminous talent on display here – from director-co-writer-composer Vishal Bhardwaj to Priyanka to co-stars like Irrfan Khan and Naseeruddin Shah – the film stumbles and fumbles." feels Anupama Chopra (NDTV). 
Nikhal Kazmi (Times of India) warns the film is not for someone who’s just looking for entertainment, rather it has many layers to it. Says she, "7 Khoon Maaf is an intensely dark film which unfolds in shadows and silhouettes. So, if you aren’t mistakenly looking for entertainment here, you are going to love this half-lit canvas of crime and punishment which lays bare the innermost recesses of a tortured soul. Vishal never once slips and lets go of his hold on this intense study of grief and grime. From the very first shot, which explodes with a grimacing Priyanka pulling the trigger on God-knows-who, the director inexorably draws you into this welter of passion and crime. All the death play takes place in semi-darkness: an almost outward pouring of an evil soul."

Performances 
"Amongst the remaining cast, Annu Kapoor leaves the maximum impact. He’s simply outstanding! John doesn’t really get much scope, Neil is effective, Irrfan is wonderfully restrained, Naseer is believable and Aleksandr is passable. Vivaan Shah, who narrates the story of Susanna, is a talent to watch out for. Though it’s his maiden film as an actor, it doesn’t seem like one. He is not your regular debutant and that’s what makes his character appear so real. Konkona Sen Sharma does well. Usha Uthup and the two male helps are good," says Taran Adarsh.

Box Office Performance 

Saat Khoon Maaf started on the lower side as most would expect. The opening was around 30-35% on average at multiplexes and 15-20% at single screens.

An interesting comparison will be No One Killed Jessica released a few weeks back which started lowly but picked up in the evening and went on to do well at the box office. That film was also heroine orientated and had a similar release though Saat Khoon Maaf does have the presence of known male stars in small roles while No One Killed Jessica had no male leads.

Saat Khoon Maaf will not score in single screens and will be dependent on multiplex business in the big cities.