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Memory
(Briarcliff Entertainment/Open Road Films)
By Lucas Allen
Liam Neeson has been punching and shooting an endless barrage of bad guys since the success of “Taken” back in 2009. Especially with his “particular set of skills,” not even the pandemic could keep him out of theaters. After last January’s “Blacklight,” Neeson delivers more hard-beating action with his latest, “Memory.” Much like “Cold Pursuit,” this one is another Americanized remake of a foreign film being the 2003 Belgian crime drama “The Memory of a Killer.”
Alex Lewis (Liam Neeson) is a professional assassin known for his precise timing. Unfortunately, he suffers from early stages of Alzheimer’s, which has already claimed his older brother, and he wants to retire. However, he’s given another job to take out two different people and retrieve some mysterious flash drives. When he finds out his second target is a 13-year-old girl named Beatrix (Mia Sanchez), he decides to instead hold the contraband as an insurance policy. That proves costly when the girl is killed by someone else, and Lewis ends up being framed.
Now out for blood despite deteriorating cognitive abilities, Lewis will have to clear his name and take out those responsible for that dastardly act. Meanwhile, an FBI task force led by Vincent Serra (Guy Pearce) were investigating a Mexican cartel’s ties to the young girl when they discover Lewis’ actions and how he may be involved. Soon enough, the hitman remotely lends clues to Serra’s team including the involvement of rich philanthropist Davana Sealman (Monica Bellucci) as he races against the mental clock to complete his vengeance.
Where to start with this? First things first, let’s talk about how schizophrenic the script is. It keeps jumping back in forth between Alex’s plot, Vincent’s subplot, and the villains plot, which can be hard to follow at times. Also, it’s written to make Pearce’s character more like the lead than Neeson’s. When you have a top-billed action star that isn’t all about him, then you know you got problems.
There is some solid action, but it’s all hampered by the far-fetched idea of a person suffering from Alzheimer’s who can still punch someone down without breaking a sweat. Not to mention, the action lacked the style of surprise and menace used much better in earlier Neeson action films. It’s pretty disappointing coming from director Martin Campbell, who was responsible for two of the greatest James Bond films GoldenEye and Casino Royale. Here, it all comes off as a “film this and call it a day”-type of film for both star and director.
Storywise, the whole Alzheimer’s conundrum doesn’t factor as much as it should until the last act. When it does, the whole outcome ends up being both stupid and in such bad taste for anybody who struggles with this terrible disease. No matter how you feel about the plot, there’s nothing wholly satisfying in the long run.
Neeson is certainly trying to deliver a performance a cut above his normal fare, but you’ll already be so numb from his movies that it doesn’t matter. Bellucci on the other hand is completely flat in a one-note villainous role that feels like it was written from a completely different script. The only real good performance comes from Pearce, who commits to it with real emotion, pathos, and genuine honesty that’s missing from the rest of the film. If Pearce’s character was supposed to be the lead, why couldn’t they cast a younger character actor in the hitman role? The only answer, because Neeson was cast for name and brand recognition alone.
You know, after “Taken,” seeing a Liam Neeson action film was considered an event for genre fans. Nowadays, it feels more like something to seek out for the sake of fighting boredom. With “Memory,” the actor found his lowest point and it’s may be time to put away the fisticuffs for good. If not, then maybe take the Adam Sandler route and move your career to streaming.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for violence, some bloody images, and language throughout)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 2 Stars (Out of Four)
