'Memory' film review: As forgettable as the lead character’s Memory

The film tries to bring out the bestiality in such repugnant criminal behaviours but there’s not much substance in the film to help alleviate the discomfort

Film: Memory
Cast: Monica Bellucci, Liam Neeson, Guy Pearce, Taj Atwal, Harold Torres, Ray Fearon
Director: Martin Campbell
Rating: 2/5

The Oscar nominated actor Liam Neeson appears to have strait-jacketed himself in a run of totally generic action oriented movies of late. He is seen playing multiple variations of the same killer/vigilante ex-cop/ assassin roles in quick succession. Most of the movies he's made in the last decade have been near carbon copies of each other. The plots, characters and performances are similar. Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) directed Memory is yet another forgettable effort from a star from whom the fans have expected much more. 

In his latest, he has not ventured too far out of that box.  In this remake of the 2003 Belgian film 'The Memory of a Killer' which was in turn adapted from Jef Geeraerts book “De zaak Alzheimer,” Neeson plays Alex Lewis an assassin-for-hire,  who finds that he's become a target after he refuses to complete a job for a dangerous criminal organization. 

Alex’ current mission requires him to kill a man and a 13-year-old girl Beatriz Leon (Mia Sanchez). We are expected to believe that there’s a modicum of morality even in a specialised killer’s makeup so his refusal to carry out the killing of the young girl and subsequent decision to go after the people who hired him may not be surprising thereof. That trail leads to a powerful businesswoman, Davana Sealman (Monica Bellucci), and her effort to cover up a child sex trafficking ring. Guy Pearce essays Vincent Serra, FBI agent, whose team is carefully tracking Alex. Taj Atwal plays Vincent's partner, and Harold Torres plays a Mexican federal agent.

Watch the trailer here:

This is a mindless action movie in every sense of the word. Needlessly depicting/suggesting revolting acts of sexual abuse of children and upping the body count makes the experience a queasy, uncomfortable watch at best. The film tries to bring out the bestiality in such repugnant criminal behaviours but there’s not much substance in the film to help alleviate the discomfort. It’s a theme meant to allow for gunfire, fisticuffs and assorted acts of violence and feels rather oppressive. 

Alex’ early stage Alzheimer's affliction also comes across as a prop meant to exacerbate the drama every time the pacing begins to falter. We see him needing to write important information on his arm, take pills, and intermittently forget what he has done but the screenplay by Dario Scardapane is rather inconsistent with this plot device. We only see him having problems when the narrative loses pace and sags. Even the last-ditch effort at development doesn’t ring true.

Campbell is pretty nifty with some of the action scenes but action alone will not a worthy cinema make. Neeson looks tired and deadened by this routine foray and it’s up to Guy Pearce, to keep the narrative humming with some of his all-too-briefly inspiring latent job-centred frustration. By and large this movie is as forgettable as they come…

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