Movie review - Memory

Memory *½ (out of 5) (R) Adapting an old comic line, of all the Liam Neeson action/revenge/rescue movies this is the most ... recent. Neeson plays a hit man with scruples (again), seeking retirement (again) from his craft. But he’s forced into one more job (again) that goes awry (again) putting the target on his back (again). One of the reasons for his attempt to quit is awareness that the same dementia that has already deprived his brother of all awareness is starting that downward spiral for him. The complication that drives this tired plot is his refusal to whack a child, and his anger at those who did.

Guy Pearce supports the effort as an FBI agent, frustrated by constraints from his superiors that keep him from shutting down the human trafficking ring he’s been pursuing here and in Mexico. Coincidentally, when Neeson starts writing reminders on his arm in moments of clarity, anticipating lapses, it’s reminiscent of Pearce doing the same on his body for similar reasons in Memento. Pearce must have had pleasant flashbacks to that excellent movie when reading this script. Presumably, that kept him from realizing how convoluted and predictable it was.

If you haven’t seen more than one of Neeson’s last half-dozen, or so, action flicks, you might still find this one engaging. The Alzheimer’s theme is relatively new, but not exactly unique among crime dramas here and abroad. In fact, this one is apparently based on a Belgian film from 2003 I haven’t seen. In this incarnation, symptomatic episodes tend to occur in relatively benign moments; others have been more daring, with their protagonists going blank during a fight or other dangerous situation.

The cast is full of stock types doing stock things on both sides of the law. What suspense exists is propped up by some ambiguity about who are the good guys, and whose strings are being pulled by the bad ones. Monica Bellucci sleepwalks through her rich, powerful villainess turn. Director Martin Campbell does no favors for his cast or audience with a slow pace in mostly dark settings that make it seem much longer than its 114-minute running time. The sex and violence elements are minimally graphic for its R-rating, adding to the dullness of the product.

At the risk of stating the obvious too obviously, Memory is eminently forgettable, if not regrettable.

(In theaters 4/29/22)