There’s more to #Unknown than the casual viewer may observe at face value. It’s well-acted and presented with finesse, yet may not appear particularly groundbreaking in terms of plot originality. Closer scrutiny reveals clever subtleties, deepening and refining the central point; the mystery surrounding the main protagonist. The journey along a darkening path of fear and paranoia drags us right along. Our desire for answers match the characters and we, too, feel the weight of the terrifying apparitions, growing in intensity.

It’s 2017, and a serial killer preys randomly, leaving a trail of savaged corpses; men, women and children, in his wake. Years pass and author Michael Lane (Hal Ozsan) is working hard on his second book after finding success with the first. Apart from some discord with wife Kathy over what is and isn’t the right time to become parents, Mike’s life seems pretty sweet. Now, I think you all know what’s coming next.

Sitting alone at night, he witnesses a chair suddenly move by itself. Seconds later a shadowy figure passes by silently, unseen by him as he gazes fearfully into the dark. Making his way into the kitchen, he then spots a ghastly, blackened foot, half-hidden, protruding from beneath a cupboard door.

Ok, I’m sold.

This marks just the start of the sympathetic viewer beginning to feel a bit sorry for ole Mike. Having shown quite a cold and hostile side over the business of family planning, he’s about to enter a personal nightmare of frightening visions (one being an oddly cryptic knight–Gary McDonald–from his unfinished book), and phone calls from unknown numbers; all apparently seeking something from him. His determination to find out what that could be rapidly dominates his life to the exclusion of almost everything else, arousing uneasy concern in those around him as apparently uncharacteristic personality traits begin to manifest themselves. No wonder he’s a bit snapper than usual, the stress the poor chap’s under.

When Kathy also begins seeing things and her health rapidly declines, Mike finally reaches crunch point. Convinced the apparitions are victims of the unsolved 2017 murders who want him to find and bring the perpetrator to justice, he wangles his way into the police archives, desperate for answers that will, he hopes, restore his life to normal. But will he come to regret uncovering the truth?

All this of course throws out a net of intrigue; one furnished with enough red herrings to keep us guessing without becoming overly complicated. Writer, co-producer and director LazRael Lison (Never and Again, Halloweed, Private Number) also really knows how to max out the creep factor; the atmosphere in general is loaded with unrelenting tension, and the visions suitably horrifying.  With the exception of Tom Sizemore and Judd Nelson (both actors almost hiding in plain sight, it having been some considerable time since I’ve seen them in any current productions) the cast were unknown (no pun intended) to me. However, Hal Ozsan plays Mike superbly, clearly a versatile actor who fits the role like a tailor-made tuxedo.

For such a well-paced, meticulous production my only criticism of #Unknown would be that I found it a little rushed and almost incomplete, as if this were just the introduction to the full story. This is of little consequence, though, as it presents an excellent opportunity for a decent sequel, which, should it ever happen, I would watch without hesitation.

9 out of 10 Dark Revelations