Memory is an American action thriller film directed by Martin Campbell and based on a script by Dario Scardapane. It was released in 2022. It is based on Jef Geeraerts’ novel De Zaak Alzheimer and is a remake of the Belgian film The Alzheimer Case, which was based on the novel.

Guy Pearce, Monica Bellucci, Harold Torres, Taj Atwal, and Ray Fearon also star in the film, which stars Liam Neeson as an aged hitman with early-onset dementia who must flee after accepting a contract on a young girl.

Memory was released in theatres in the United States on April 29, 2022, by Open Road Films, and got mostly unfavourable reviews.

Memory: Reviews 

Being old and vulnerable on screen—with drooping skin, laboured breath, and an ungainly walk—is feared by many more individuals than they are willing to admit.

But not Liam Neeson; the Oscar-nominated actor has reached the pinnacle of his career with neo-noir films like the ‘Taken’ series and ‘Schindler’s List,’ among others. As a result, it may look like Neeson has grown too comfortable with this subgenre, and his unwillingness to branch out can come across as lethargic at times.

Neeson’s secretive Alex wants out of his decades-long job as a professional kill guy in Martin Campbell’s ‘Memory.’ “Men like us don’t retire,” his employer croons, a half-hearted attempt to entice him back. He returns to work, with no liberating option insight.

However, the next target is a little girl, and his hidden sense of righteousness rises to the surface. “I don’t kill kids.” “Ask the contract hounds to call it off,” he says in a deathly tone, his stone-cold eyes expressing desperation. For the most part, Neeson plays a classic action-hero Neeson.

When his newfound moral compass forces him to meet three authority-bashing federal agents: angst-filled Vincent (Guy Pearce), Linda (Taj Atwal), and their unwelcome Mexican counterpart Hugo Marquez, the actor’s true work begins (Harold Torres).

A morally bankrupt guy suffering from severe Alzheimer’s seeks (and finds) solace in the gentle arms of genre veteran Liam Neeson. In all honesty, despite the song’s overuse, this character-driven picture had something its predecessors didn’t: a raw, wounded Hollywood celebrity on the verge of retirement.

In terms of age-appropriate mannerisms, Monica Belluci as Davana Salman nails the cliche of a corporate honcho-turned-child trafficking racketeer. With her modest mein and an article of clothing that screams dark elegance, the Italian belle signora attracts attention. Touché!

Granted, all those scorching filmmaking instincts—the cinematic high—that directors keep screaming about in order to spin a masterpiece out of a foreign story have been brushed aside in Campbell’s ‘Memory.’

The little girl in question may have elicited a wide spectrum of feelings from the quadruplets’ hearts, but with little to no time spent with her, it’s a little difficult to swallow their unshakable commitment to avenge her death.

Sure, the past provides ample justification for such mayhem, but when has a film been considered relevant solely on the basis of haphazard flashbacks?

‘Memory’ is a good reminder of Liam Neeson’s anti-hero-romanticism track, which he has popularised in Hollywood over the years. However, he enables decay and honesty to triumph over pseudo-machismo in it. And that memory will be with us for the rest of our lives.

Memory: Box Office Collection

The film was expected to gross between $2–5 million in its first weekend in 2,555 cinemas across the United States and Canada. The picture grossed $1.1 million on its first day and $3.1 million on its second, placing it tenth at the box office.

Critical Reaction on “Memory”

On Rotten Tomatoes, 31 per cent of 68 reviewer reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.7/10. “A thin replica of better action-thrillers by star Liam Neeson or director Martin Campbell, Memory proves to be one of their most forgettable attempts yet,” says the website’s consensus.

According to Metacritic, the film had 41 out of 100 scores based on 28 reviewers, signifying “mixed or mediocre reviews.” PostTrak asked its audience, and it had a 66 per cent good response, with 49 per cent stating they would certainly suggest it.

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