UNABOMBER (NETFLIX) (2026)

SYNOPSIS: Inspired by true events, UNABOMBER follows Ted Kaczynski’s (Jacob Tremblay) transformation from Harvard prodigy into the infamous Unabomber. Subjected to controversial psychological experiments by Professor Henry Murray (Russell Crowe), Kaczynski’s troubled past resurfaces decades later when his manhunt, led by FBI agent Joanne Miller (Shailene Woodley), brings to light the chilling consequences of ambition and isolation. Moving between Kaczynski’s troubled past and the FBI investigation closing in on him, UNABOMBER reveals the chilling story behind the man, the mind, and the manhunt.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Netflix is known for producing and streaming a vast library of true-crime documentaries and docuseries. So, it’s no surprise that they have added the UNABOMBER to the list. Only this time, it’s a movie adaptation about the infamous Ted Kaczynski, the maths prodigy turned bomber.

Kaczynski (Jacob Tremblay) was only 16 when he entered Harvard University, and the movie simultaneously explores his time there and the events in 1999, when the FBI begins investigating the mail bombings. The origin story involves Kaczynski being invited by Henry Murray, a psychology professor (Russell Crowe), and his academic partner, Christiana Morgan (Annabelle Wallis), to participate in an experiment funded by the CIA.

Kaczynski thought Murray was interested in his desire to become a philosopher, and that the invitation was somehow a test of his interests and abilities. Unfortunately, that is far from the truth. Shailene Woodley, on the other hand, plays FBI Agent Joanne Miller, who recognises similarities between the manifesto and letters written by Kaczynski and eventually tracks him down to a cabin deep in the woods.

While David Fincher’s Zodiac is a compelling piece of investigative work, Unabomber feels more like a generic empty crime thriller that hardly thrills or aspires to be one. A lot of screentime is spent on the experiment conducted by Murray and his team, although Ted Kaczynski himself rejected the theory that Murray’s experiments had turned him into a terrorist.

It’s a manipulative script, all right, despite the fact that it is based on a true story. It seems that the writers stumbled upon this dark, shadowy study and decided to turn it against Kaczynski just to give the movie some much-needed intensity. Just to be clear, Woodley’s character is entirely fictional, although there are certain moments in the movie that boast some edge-of-the-seat suspense and tension. Truth be told, however, it never really materialises in the end.

Ted Kaczynski was a fascinating character, an exceptional mathematical prodigy who somehow became a strong opponent of modern technology and industrial society. Over more than two decades, he targeted people from universities, airlines and those associated with technology and the modern industrial system. This alone would have made the movie a must-watch.

Yet, even with a strong performance from Tremblay and a reliable Crowe, Unabomber never reaches the heights of a true-crime thriller or a compelling biography of a domestic terrorist.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee