Memory (2022)
A skilled assassin declines to complete a mission which involves murdering a child. He instead decides to go after those who hired him; and are responsible for underage sex trafficking operation. However his faulting memory, with advancing Alzheimer’s is another factor that he must contend with.
He is soon hunted by those who hired him, and finds an unlikely ally in an FBI agent who is trying to stop the very same people.
Direction
A woeful effort from Martin Campbell who hit so many high’s previously in films like Mask of Zorro and Casino Royale. Some of the shots are laughable, and trying too hard (like a quick zoom in shot of a character pointing his gun).
Cast/Characters
I wasn’t sure whether this was supposed to be a Liam Neeson film, or Guy Pearce film.
Neeson is… adequate as Alex, the hit-man with a conscience – and advancing cognitive disability. He plays this okay, but it does not feel organic at all – and chops and changes depending on the scene. He is tired and wooden for the most part, and this was just another in a long list of ‘not Taken’ type roles of his post 2010
Pearce is miscast as Vincent Serra, the FBI agent who wants to bring the trafficking organisation down. He has done so much better in the past, and he struggles to maintain his accent throughout.
Secondary cast are poor as well, with many either giving wooden performances, struggle with their accents – which seem to chop and change or are completely unconvincing. Even Monica Belluci as the big bad looks like she did not want to be there.
The late Ray Stevenson is wasted in a tertiary role.
Screenplay/Setting/Themes
What a doozy…
Did the writers check logic, or continuity???
That car explosion scene in the multi story car park – that then finds the car in the middle of a freeway – HOW?????
Some dumb police actions (smoking a crime scene, picking up evidence without gloves on, finding a broken pill bottle and pills at multiple locations etc). There is also dumb cliche moments like taking alcohol after a gun shot, (then burning it so perfectly)
It contains some of he most painfully stupid dialogue I’ve heard in recent memory – like the no nonsense FBI boss who says ‘its been 15 years since my last drink’ with a facial expression like he’s defecating.
Overall
I really did not like this. If this was a comedy, it would have worked, but it tried WAY to hard to be a serious film (with the forced emotive score too). I thought the final act was going to save it… then the final few minutes happened!
Give this one a miss.
1/5