There are several reasons why I cannot recommend this film, but first, the positives: An intriguing side character (the former East German intelligence officer) is well conceived, written and brought to life with zeal by the actor portraying him. His dialogue is so richly composed, it seems completely out of place in this script rather vacant in that department. Also charming, a scene in which two Dr. Martin Harrises compete to prove their respective authenticity by barking out a string of intimate conversation details to a bewildered colleague. That brief moment cajoled an audibly resounding appreciation from the audience confirming its quality. Very nicely done. And yes, the action from time to time engages.

Sigh. Sadly, the negatives far outweigh. From the opening, the film frustrates audiences with the quickly compounding burden of accepting improbable events. A seasoned traveler leaves his passport, his wife's passport, and his brief case at an airport abroad. I couldn't buy that. Then, realizing his mistake, he doesn't take 30 seconds to notify his wife before he hops in a cab to retrieve them. I'm already feeling manipulated. Then, when he tries to phone her from the cab, service is out, then traffic jams, then a refrigerator falls from the truck in front of his cab. Sound likely? But, the cab just happens to be on a bridge at the time and is forced into the river. As a concession perhaps, filmmakers do try to get through this unpleasant sequence as swiftly as possible. It's really just a set up for the premise, which is, an American bio-tech engineer wakes up in a foreign hospital without any form of physical identification and a flickering recollection of who he is.

In an attempt to reconnect with his life (and wife), this "unknown" shows very little compassion for the lives of others (and their wives), putting scores of others in peril. Even as others die because of his determined efforts, it doesn't seem to bother him at all. So why should we care about him? As a character, he's personally not interesting, nor is he caring. The answer is, we don't. And that apathy sincerely impairs the production. To be fair, we do care about his circumstance because it is interesting, but the film takes a solid hour before its compelling elements catch up with its repelling ones.

-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --