Jacob Tremblay, Russell Crowe in Netflix Thriller
The Hollywood Reporter • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Netflix's "Unabomber," directed by Janus Metz, focuses on Ted Kaczynski's time at Harvard and a controversial psychological study that purportedly influenced his radicalization, rather than providing a full biography.
- The film juxtaposes Kaczynski's 1950s Harvard experience with the 1990s FBI investigation leading to his capture, but both narratives are criticized as superficial and lacking depth.
- Jacob Tremblay's portrayal of young Kaczynski is seen as insufficiently menacing, while Russell Crowe's role as Henry Murray is considered underdeveloped and lacking intensity.
- Shailene Woodley’s FBI agent character adds some texture but is ultimately constrained by clichéd writing and predictable plot elements.
- Overall, the film is described as bland and unconvincing, failing to offer a nuanced or insightful exploration of Kaczynski’s radicalization or capture.
