Review of Unknown (1972) by Frank J — 18 May 2012

Another one of those films based largely in one confined setting, with a number of seemly disillusioned strangers wondering who each other are, and how on earth they all got there. It was a clever idea to then uncover that the whole scenario as a result of a big money kidnapping whereby the Individuals trapped were either the assassins or the hostages, but thanks to the side effects of some chemical explosion during a scuffle, their identities are kept a secret from both themselves and us until we gradually begin to discover them throughout the course of the film.

As the gangsters and police close in on the building, none of the survivors know quite how they will be treated upon their arrival until gradually the amnesia begins to wear off and flashbacks of memories begin to trigger in their brains.

It is somewhat a slight anticlimax though as not enough twists and turns were made of the identities in the run up to the climax, and then when we finally got to the token final twist, it all became too much too late, and resulted in what I perceived as a confusing and distinctly average ending.

Thinking back upon it, there wasn't a great deal of action throughout and the intensity was just a bit lacklustre. Like the cast of this film, I too am likely to be suffering from amnesia soon, as this film is not likely to be remembered as one to watch.