‘Memory’ movie review: Liam Neeson plays a hit man with Alzheimer’s
In plot, no less than, “Reminiscence” isn’t any exception. Primarily based on the 1985 novel “De Zaak Alzheimer” by Belgian author Jef Geeraerts and its 2003 Belgian movie adaptation, “The Reminiscence of a Killer,” Neeson’s newest style train facilities on successful man with dementia who abruptly sprouts a conscience when one of many targets he’s been employed to kill seems to be a 13-year-old woman. And but “Reminiscence” is a reduce above common, for this type of factor. Largely that’s because of the path of Martin Campbell (“On line casino Royale”), who injects the identical freshness of power into this formulaic outing that he did with final 12 months’s murderer thriller “The Protege.”
“Reminiscence” feels extra like movie noir — deliciously darkish, cynical and barely amoral — than a pulpy piece of rote storytelling.
Neeson, for one factor, isn’t actually the great man right here, or actually even the dangerous man with a coronary heart of gold. His Alex Lewis is a coldblooded killer. With one exception — the hardly teenage prostitute (Mia Sanchez) Alex refuses to kill after he’s employed to kill a few folks to cowl up a child-exploitation ring — he has few qualms about whom he murders. Cops, specifically, are a lot collateral harm in Alex’s single-minded mission to take out the members of the worldwide sex-trafficking cartel. The truth that he’s beginning to lose his reminiscence, and should write reminders down on his forearm with a Sharpie, barely makes him extra sympathetic.
It’s a bizarre feeling, not having the ability to root wholeheartedly for Neeson. However I sort of prefer it. It feels trustworthy, and fewer pandering.
Some cops, nevertheless, are spared. Two members of the FBI’s Baby Exploitation Activity Power (Man Pearce and Taj Atwal), together with a Mexican detective (Harold Torres) on mortgage to the FBI, are allowed to dwell to allow them to carry out cleanup on the messy pile of corpses Alex leaves behind in his path of vengeance. Largely, as Pearce’s Agent Vincent Serra observes, that entails “taking out” the traffickers whom Vincent and the duty power aren’t legally in a position to execute, whereas leaving the feds a path of “breadcrumbs.”
Vincent’s pursuit of Alex, whereas following these breadcrumbs, is the engine that drives the plot. (The casting of Pearce, who in 2001’s “Memento” performed an amnesiac pursuing his spouse’s killer whereas marking his personal physique with clues, is a pleasant type of callback.)
“Reminiscence” is certainly not a deep movie. However there’s one thing right here that lends the acquainted proceedings a bittersweet aftertaste that lingers within the thoughts. That’s the movie’s combine of ethical ambiguity and the remorse of somebody for whom it’s too late to undo the previous, however not maybe to rectify the current, even when the legislation can’t. Within the phrases of Vincent: “Reminiscence’s a mother-f—er. And as for justice, it ain’t assured.”
R. At space theaters. Incorporates violence, some bloody pictures, temporary nudity, mature thematic parts and coarse language all through. 114 minutes.
