Though the public is eager for new cinema, silent during the lockdown due to coronavirus, this recent release, UNHINGED, is hardly the type of 'escape from reality' that most seek from the movies. With tension high and temperaments fragile, this story visualizes the extremes of hate and violence and rage and vengeance that are at the narrowing periphery of our view of the current world situation.
The story, by Carl Ellsworth, is directed with near intolerable propulsive energy by Derrick Borte and cast is excellent. The concept is that of the effect of rage on several characters. An anxious but thoughtless young mother, Rachel, (Caren Pistorius) is having a rough day as she drives her son Kyle (Gabriel Batemen) to school. As she hurriedly honks at a paused vehicle driven by an unstable man (Russell Crowe), she ignites the man's rage and from that point on the story is one of the man's vengeance to make her 'apologize' for her discourtesy - a diatribe that includes murdering and torturing Rachel's family ties and friends. The manner in which the gruesome chase ends is best left to each viewer to discover.
Russell Crowe invests his performance with venomous authority, both in physical girth and in manner of speaking. He epitomizes road rage and its consequences in a manner that make this well created film almost unbearable to watch. Given our current milieu this extreme form of response is all too credible - and perhaps the film serves as a warning of just how grim the uncontrolled anger can be!
The story, by Carl Ellsworth, is directed with near intolerable propulsive energy by Derrick Borte and cast is excellent. The concept is that of the effect of rage on several characters. An anxious but thoughtless young mother, Rachel, (Caren Pistorius) is having a rough day as she drives her son Kyle (Gabriel Batemen) to school. As she hurriedly honks at a paused vehicle driven by an unstable man (Russell Crowe), she ignites the man's rage and from that point on the story is one of the man's vengeance to make her 'apologize' for her discourtesy - a diatribe that includes murdering and torturing Rachel's family ties and friends. The manner in which the gruesome chase ends is best left to each viewer to discover.
Russell Crowe invests his performance with venomous authority, both in physical girth and in manner of speaking. He epitomizes road rage and its consequences in a manner that make this well created film almost unbearable to watch. Given our current milieu this extreme form of response is all too credible - and perhaps the film serves as a warning of just how grim the uncontrolled anger can be!