“Memory” starts off with an interesting premise: a hit man with Alzheimer’s. Based on the 2003 Belgian film De Zaak Alzheimer (The Memory of a Killer), which itself was based on a 1985 book of the same name, the movie takes on the theme of the gray areas of justice while being an action-filled thriller. The acting by Liam Neeson and Guy Pearce elevate the picture to another level.

The movie begins in a hospital in Guadalajara, Mexico. A man has come to visit his ailing, immobile mother. In her room, he asks the erstwhile orderly (hit man Alex Lewis, portrayed by Liam Neeson) to leave so that he can have some privacy. Instead he is garroted by Alex while the victim’s horrified mother mutely observes.

In El Paso, a male customer hands money over to a pimp, Papa Leon (Antonio Jaramillo), ostensibly to have sex with Papa’s underage daughter. The customer is actually FBI agent Vincent Serra (Guy Pearce). Alone with Beatriz (Mia Sanchez), Vincent, who is wired, tries to get her to talk and implicate her father. Inured to performing sex acts, Beatriz unbuttons Vincent’s shirt and sees the wire. Screaming for her father, she is held at gunpoint by Papa Leon while the rest of the FBI team storms the building. Vincent and the father struggle for the gun and fall out a two-story window. Papa Leon is killed and Beatriz is taken into custody.

Alex travels to Mexico City to visit his old comrade and apparent boss, Mauricio (Lee Boardman). It is clear that they have had some wild times in the good old days. Mauricio gives Alex money for two more hit jobs in El Paso. Alex tells Mauricio that he is ready to retire but not the reason why (viz. that he has Alzheimer’s). Mauricio indicates that no one ever retires in their line of work so Alex reluctantly agrees to do the jobs.

Serra goes to visit Beatriz in the detention center. He is honestly concerned about her and has brought her art supplies since earlier she was seen drawing at Papa Leon’s. She indicates that she wants nothing to do with him and was told by Papa Leon never to reveal any information.

Alex arrives in El Paso at the home of Ellis Van Camp (Scot Williams), his first victim. He makes Van Camp go to a safe in which are some flash drives being used for blackmail. Distracted by Van Camp’s daughter, Ellis attacks Alex before being killed, the daughter none the wiser.

In preparation for the next hit, Alex follows Serra and Beatriz to the foster facility which is to be Beatriz’s new home. When Alex goes later in the evening to complete the job, he is horrified to discover that Beatriz is a child. This goes against his code of conduct and he does not complete the hit.

Instead he confronts and attacks his local liaison, businessman William Borden (Daniel de Bourg). Alex states that if Beatriz is killed, Borden will be next. In a panic, Borden contacts his boss Davana Sealman (Monica Bellucci), a ruthless piece of work who tells him to cool it.

Then Beatriz gets killed and all hell breaks loose. Alex intends to wreak vengeance, even with his memory failing, and goes to Serra for help.

The action scenes are very well-staged and satisfying. It always is gratifying to see bad people getting their come-uppance. Evil people killing each other is one thing, but what happens when law enforcement sees that they cannot bring evil people to justice through traditional channels?

This dilemma between seeing justice carried out legally or going outside the lines to secure it is one of the most interesting themes of the film. Is it ethical to use Alex to carry out the justice that law enforcement cannot attain due to lack of evidence and the wealth of the perpetrators?

One drawback of the film is that there are too many subplots. We hear about Mexican agent Hugo Marquez (Harold Torres)’s troubles in Juarez. Serra has a backstory about a lost wife and son and how the killer got off. The conflicts between the FBI and El Paso PD seem superfluous. Too much time is spent on the widows of Borden and Van Camp. The conflict between Serra and the D.A. seems overwrought. Was it necessary to make Alex a cop killer?

Then there were some unlikely circumstances in the movie. Alex is purported to have burned down a bakery 40 years ago in which he and his father perished. Yet it still is an abandoned building when Alex re-enters its ruins in the present day. Wouldn’t it have been developed by now?

Davana Sealman obviously employs hit men. Yet she has no security whatsoever either at the office or at her private home. It makes the final scene, while satisfying, seem too easy.
I am no expert on Alzheimer’s so I cannot comment on how accurately this is portrayed in the case of Neeson’s character Alex Lewis. But there were times when it seemed almost conveniently introduced to delay the plot and lengthen the film.

Pearce is superb in his role as a burned-out, sad FBI agent. He captures the sense of world-weariness and fatigue that his long years of service have created. He deeply feels for how the FBI’s work is held to such a high standard of proof which makes it difficult to bring the rich to justice. He skirts the gray areas easily.

Neeson as usual brings his own high standard to his acting. His Alzheimer nuances add to his character’s confusion and frustration.

Bellucci is perfect as the ice queen Davana Sealman. Her portrayal never strays into any kind of sentimentality even when she is comforting her evil son.

There is a gross-out scene of Alex self-cauterizing an abdominal wound that makes this picture inappropriate for children. The theme of child prostitution and multiple murders also make the movie inappropriate for this age group.

Despite its flaws, this was a compelling film from beginning to end. I liked its unpredictability and twists. The ending was gratifying if grim.

Three and a half out of 5 stars

MEMORY follows Alex Lewis (Liam Neeson), 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 (Guy Pearce) 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.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Guy Pearce, Monica Bellucci, Taj Atwal, Ray Fearon, Harold Torres
Directed By: Martin Campbell
Screenplay By: Dario Scardapane