Unhinged

Already at the outset, Unhinged grabs the viewer's attention with a stark but incisive overview of the state of crime and society in the US, a land of unlimited possibilities but limited people. After a brief prologue and introduction to the characters, what follows is pure thriller action, where at times you just stare at the screen in disbelief and outrage, with pissed off thoughts running through your head, wondering if something like this is the order of the day (in America). Russell Crowe inhabits the role of a psychopathic asshole who needs really little to piss him off in a chillingly convincing way, and I was definitely not rooting for him and I wished him nothing but the worst possible ending. Whether Unhinged is a realistic reflection of American society I cannot judge, as I don't live there, but even if it is a universal image, I was indeed impressed. All I missed was perhaps a little more background on Russell's character. (13/09/2020)

A straightforwardly paced genre film that would like to stand alongside similarly focused cult films in the vein of Duel or The Hitcher, but it's too routine a see-it-and-forget-it B-movie for that. If it wasn't for the impressively disturbing Crowe, who pulls the whole thing off despite all the incongruities (and there are many) and the unlikeable clowns that the viewer is supposed to root for, it wouldn't even be worth paying attention to. PS: It is a pity that Hauer is no longer alive, there could have been a duet "how the Driver picks up the Hitchhiker". (18/11/2020)

What I enjoyed most about Unhinged out was watching Russell Crowe and his attempt to not overact, lest the rest of the film suck. He mostly succeeds, although in a few scenes it's obvious he has to hold back a lot. Otherwise, though, I really struggle to find anything here that would make me recommend this generic thriller to anyone. The action scenes and chases are shot without any ideas, the supporting characters are only lightly sketched, and the ninety minutes damn near drag on. Moreover, thanks to the montage of real events that they drop on us along with the opening credits, it's obvious that Unhinged would dearly love to be not only a thriller, but a commentary on the current stress-ridden America. Unfortunately, however, it's too simple and unentertaining for that. In fact, if Russell Crowe wasn't in it, I don't believe the film would have made it into theaters. In fact, I don't think anyone would have been interested. There's nothing to it. (08/09/2020)

Back in the cinema after a five month hiatus and Unhinged is a pleasant surprise. Unhinged is a decent road rage thriller with raging bull Russell Crowe having a bad day and his rage escalates to the max when confronted by the sassy Caren Pistorius, who learns a life lesson she will regret forever. Russell has put on weight, but he's an unbelievable asshole who uncompromisingly dispatches anyone who crosses him, and during his violent attacks, I worried if he'd bring down the house. The film is a decent adrenaline rush from start to finish, and it doesn’t take its foot off the gas for a moment. Russell plays the psychopath impeccably, commanding respect in every scene and the unexpectedly high bodycount is not far from double digits, plus it's very nicely R-rated, which is always a treat in the cinema. The story doesn't bring any twist or surprise and those who are nitpicky will find a few logical flaws, but I had a great time and exhaled at the end, and that's enough for me in this case at most. Story***, Action****, Humor>No, Violence****, Entertainment****, Music****, Visuals****, Atmosphere****, Suspense****. 8/10. (31/07/2020)

Unhinged surprisingly and slowly builds up into a slasher flick. However, it is needlessly overwrought and implausible with illogical nonsense. Crowe might have been suited for the role if we didn’t know him as an A-list character actor. Getting used to him and appreciating his performance as a deranged psychopathic rapist and murderer is practically impossible, which is also due to the one-dimensionality of his character without any explanation of the reasons for his behaviour. In the context of the genre, Unhinged is a completely unnecessary film that drowns out its brainlessness with brutish violence. (03/01/2021)