Unhinged (2020)

Unhinged (2020)

6/10

Starring

Russell Crowe

Caren Pistorius

Gabriel Bateman

Directed by Derrick Borte

Unhinged is a movie that grabs your attention right from the start. While it’s not the best “psycho thriller” out there, it had me glued to the screen. My main criticism is how it falls into the same predictable patterns as similar films. The story is one-dimensional, with the villain obsessively focused on ruining the life of a complete stranger. The movie leaves a lot of unanswered questions, but honestly, they don’t affect the main plot much.

Another cliché is when the victim, Rachel (played by Caren Pistorius), suddenly finds the strength to fight back and talk back to her attacker. While it feels unrealistic in the heat of the moment, it’s not entirely impossible—I’ve seen people confront dangerous situations with surprising boldness, even when it might not be the smartest move.

As for the acting, Russell Crowe plays the “Man” character brilliantly, which is no surprise given his status as an Academy Award-winning actor. His character isn’t very complex, but Crowe brings him to life in a way that keeps you engaged. On the other hand, Rachel and most of the other characters—except her son—feel less developed and fail to leave much of an impression.

The movie begins with the Man sitting in his car outside a house. After hyping himself up, he grabs a hammer, breaks into the house, and kills the occupants before setting it on fire. We later learn that the house belonged to his ex-wife and her new partner.

Rachel’s day doesn’t start much better. She’s late for an appointment, dealing with a messy divorce, and has just lost her job. While driving her son to school, she impatiently passes the Man’s car at a green light when he doesn’t move. Later, he pulls up to her, politely apologizes, and asks her to apologize in return for her behavior. Instead, Rachel snaps at him, saying she’s having a bad day.

This is where the Man decides to make her day much worse. He tails her, steals her phone, and starts tracking down and killing people close to her using the information he finds. Despite her efforts to call the police, it’s clear this man won’t stop until he’s destroyed everything and everyone important to her.

The movie hits the mark for excitement, but that’s about it. It’s not award-worthy, and there are plenty of plot holes you could nitpick. Still, it’s an entertaining watch if you’re in the mood for a tense thriller.