Memory, a modern neo-noir masterwork

Belgian director Martin Campbell has created an atmospheric cat-and-mouse thriller with Memory, starring Liam Neeson at the top of his game.

Campbell builds a gripping neo-noir world in which nothing is as it seems.

The story centres on Alex Lewis, a hitman who suffers from mental lapses. One day, Alex refuses to kill a 13-year-old girl in cold blood and thus becomes a serious problem for the organisation that hired him.

The FBI will not stand idly by as the dead turn up in the city of El Paso, Texas.

Campbell elevates the paranoia to exquisite heights through Neeson's internally conflicted but focused performance.

Every scene throbs with searing intensity beneath Alex's serene surface.

Visually, Campbell and cinematographer Rodney Charters construct a labyrinthine streetscape where danger pulsates around every dark corner.

Though perhaps too cerebral for some, Memory is a thrill ride that plumbs the depths of reflection on identity, the manipulation of memory and human nature with immense force and no shortage of pulse-quickening action scenes.

It confirms Campbell and Neeson as modern masters and will surely influence the psychological depths of the spy genre for years to come. Haunting and unforgettable.

Liam Neeson received widespread praise for his intensely physical and internalized turn as the assassin Alex, though surprisingly no major award nominations to date. His performance will surely be remembered as one of his finest.

Director Martin Campbell and writer Bill Collage crafted an expertly tight psychological cat-and-mouse story that has drawn comparisons to classics like Memento and The Fugitive.

Commercially, Memory found an audience on its mid-budget release, grossing $42 million worldwide against a $20 million production budget.

In theaters, it made $23 million domestically and $19 million internationally, showing the enduring appeal of Neeson in gritty action roles and Campbell's mastery of the genre.

Memory has performed well in home video markets too, finding the dedicated audiences its intricate story deserves.

While perhaps too dark and complex for broader multiplex success, Memory stands as a modern neo-noir masterwork that's only grown in estimation since its release.