Memory is a 2022 action thriller film directed by Martin Campbell, known for GoldenEye (1995), Vertical Limit (2000), and Casino Royale (2006), from a screenplay by Dario Scardapane who was a contributing writer on the FX crime thriller series The Bridge. It is based on the novel De Zaak Alzheimer by Jef Geeraerts, and is a remake of the novel's previous adaptation, the Belgian film The Memory of a Killer (2003).

Alex Lewis is an expert assassin with a reputation for discreet precision. Caught in a moral quagmire, Alex refuses to complete a job that violates his code and must quickly hunt down and kill the people who hired him before they and FBI agent Vincent Serra find him first. Alex is built for revenge but, with a memory that is beginning to falter, he is forced to question his every action, blurring the line between right and wrong.

The film stars Liam Neeson, Guy Pearce, Monica Bellucci, Harold Torres, Taj Atwal, and Ray Fearon.

Memory hit theaters on April 29th, courtesy of Open Road Films.

THE GOOD

As Liam Neeson movies often do as of late, Memory sort of came out of nowhere for me. When I first came across it I expected a direct to on-demand release, so I was surprised when it received a wide release in theaters. Naturally, as a Neeson fan for obvious reasons I made it a point to check this out as soon as it hit theaters knowing full well it could be a gimmicky cash grab and a waste of my time. I made my way to the theater, grabbed my ice cold soda and large heavily buttered popcorn, and proceeded to my seat just as the trailers started. So, did Memory deserve the wide theater release it received? Keep reading to find out!

First and foremost not only is this one of Liam Neeson’s best films as of late, it is a very solid crime thriller with quality acting, an engaging and often intense story, and my favorite takeaway a very satisfying conclusion. Films that fall into the revenge thriller genre need to get viewers invested, but they also need “damn right!” fist bump moment as the story comes to a close. Memory not only gives us that satisfaction, it also offers up more substance than you might expect from what could have easily been little more than another run-of-the-mill cash grab with a few big names attached. Neeson will forever be remembered as the man with a particular set of skills in the hugely popular 2008 crime thriller Taken, but we all know he is much more than that. But, for what it’s worth, the man thrives in this genre and I have no issue whatsoever with him sticking to his guns, literally and figuratively. The film opens with a dark noir feel to it which is prevalent throughout the film and a big reason why everything works as well as it does. The dark tone and mostly top-tier acting allow viewers the opportunity to get fully immersed in the film while deep down hoping for the end the film deserves.

I touched on it already but the bread and butter of Memory is without a doubt the story, as well as the acting of course. Dario Scardapane was the man behind the screenplay, and let me just say he has a knack for this sort of storytelling rooted in harsh realities. As I touched on in the intro, Scardapane previously worked on the FX crime thriller series The Bridge, which ran from 2013-2014 and starred Demián Bichir and Diane Kruger. If you haven’t seen this series, you need to. It is INTENSE, and deals directly with the deep-seeded issue revolving around the lack of interest in all of the women that disappear over the border in Mexico every single day. It ran for two seasons and is streaming on Prime Video and Hulu if you want to check it out.

At the heart of Memory the premise shares quite a few similarities, as it opens with a joint task force between Mexico and El Paso FBI working to take down a human trafficking ring. Bureaucracy gets in the way over on the U.S. side as it often does, leaving agent Hugo Martinez, the contributing agent from the Mexico side of the border, feeling frustrated as it is all too often easy to forget the atrocities they deal with every day, and the sad fact that a missing person in Mexico is somehow deemed less important. That is the underlying message for the film, and helps to fuel Hugo’s character played by Harold Torres, as he proceeds to defy orders in a collective effort to do what’s right.

Liam Neeson is 69-years-old and he is still churning out his trademark action thriller films, that is insane right?! For that reason before I dive too much into the acting for Memory I need to give this guy his hard earned credit. Neeson made his acting debut in 1978, and has since racked up 139 acting credits according to IMDb, with three films in post-production and one currently filming. This guy is an absolute work horse! It’s funny because the project that is currently filming, In the Land of Saints and Sinners, has almost the same exact premise as this film. But hey, as they say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The Irish actor surely found himself type casted somewhere along the way thanks to his big 6’ 3 frame and brooding presence, but he is a very versatile actor, showcasing his softer side in films like Love Actually (2003). A fantastic film of his from 1989, which I would bet most of you have never even heard of, is the crime thriller Next of Kin where he stars alongside the late and great Patrick Swayze. That is a fantastic film well worth watching, and is now streaming on Prime Video. Check it out!

So to get back on track and talk about how the cast did in Memory starting with Neeson of course, I thought this was one of his better performances as of late. He was given a character with a ton of depth allowing him the opportunity to not just beat the living crap out of people which he still does and does well, but also to express a great deal of emotion as he struggles with old age and a willingness to do what is right. As a hitman with a strong moral code, I really enjoyed his character. Even though he is a bad guy just by the nature of his profession, he still finds a way to be sympathetic and relatable which I thought was a testament to his abilities as an actor. Starring alongside Neeson is Guy Pearce who plays FBI agent Vincent Serra who is hot on the hitman’s trail. Neeson and Pearce form a complex relationship as it turns out they both want the same thing. I was sold on Pearce’s character from the start and really liked how invested he was in this role. As far as performances go, Pearce delivers the best the film has to offer. It’s interesting that Pearce plays in a film about a man slowly losing his memory as he previously starred in Christopher Nolan’s crime thriller Memento (2000), which has a few prominent similarities.

All things considered Memory is a very technically sound film, which should come as no surprise considering veteran director Martin Campbell is captaining the ship. I thought the camera work throughout the film was that of a man who knows his way around a crime thriller, giving us some great action shots, as well as some great shots designed to build suspense. Sticking with the noir style the film had a very dark feel with each shot feeling like it mattered more than just what you may be seeing on-screen at any given moment, which I thought was a testament to David Tattersall’s cinematography. Neeson’s character works alone so the film relies heavily on feel and tone, which the cinematography helps contribute too. To say Tattersall is a veteran would be an understatement, as he worked on the 1999 drama The Green Mile, and more recently the intense revenge thriller The Foreigner, which we reviewed back in 2017 (check it out here). That film is now streaming on Netflix. I was also pleased with the music/score from composer Flotek, as he helped to keep the dark tone.

THE BAD

This is easily one of Neeson’s best films as of late, but it is not perfect. Overall the screenplay impressed me, I just felt like at times the dialogue either felt forced or unnecessary. The acting which was a bright spot for the film did fall a bit flat during a few of the more intense scenes from some of the supporting cast, but it wasn’t a deal breaker. It was also a struggle to accept a Liam Neeson character with vulnerabilities, because well he is Liam Neeson, but I eventually warmed up to the idea. Memory does feel a little slow at times and could have probably cut out a few scenes for that reason, but even more than that I think they left something to be desired during the more pivotal scenes as they were building towards the film’s conclusion. Also I loved the ending, but I can think of a few small changes that would have made it even better. But the bottom line is this, the film has quite a bit more in the good column compared to the bad, which is really all we can ask for at the end of the day right?

THE VERDICT

A gritty crime thriller unafraid to shine a light on a serious issue plaguing our society, Memory is easily the best Liam Neeson film as of late as he teams up with Guy Pearce while offering a very satisfying final act. As I talked about in the review, my expectations for this film were admittedly grounded but I left the theater very satisfied. The story kept me engaged and intrigued from start to finish, and also kept me guessing to the very end. I also really liked how the plot felt so relevant and important which allowed viewers the opportunity to get invested. A revenge thriller like Memory lives and dies by how it closes things out, and as far as that goes they did the film justice and then some.

Personally I think the majority of the criticism from critics is unwarranted, especially when you take a step back and look at the film as a whole. I mean, at the end of the way what are we comparing it to? Memory is not without it’s flaws, but the overall experience is more than worth a trip to the theater if you enjoy the crime thriller genre, or just can’t get enough of Liam Neeson kicking ass. I say bring on both!