Unabomber has officially become the No. 1 movie on Netflix worldwide, climbing to the top of the streamer's global movie chart just days after its September 25 premiere. The thriller recorded 16.4 million views during its first partial week of availability, according to Netflix viewing data, as it quickly overtook the competition.
Inspired by true events, the movie follows Ted Kaczynski from his days as a 16-year-old Harvard prodigy through to the nationwide hunt for the domestic terrorist responsible for a bombing campaign that lasted nearly two decades. The cast is led by Jacob Tremblay (Room) as the young Ted Kaczynski, with Crowe (A Beautiful Mind) portraying Professor Henry Murray and Shailene Woodley (Big Little Lies) starring as FBI agent Joanne Miller. Annabelle Wallis (Malignant), Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), Steven Ogg (The Walking Dead), and Marc Menchaca (Ozark) also star.
Four criminal masterminds. One of them was always going to be yours. Here is who comes for you, why they picked you out of everyone available, and what they want from the encounter.
Your nemesis does not want to beat you. He wants to know you completely, and he is patient enough to wait for it. The frightening part is how good the conversation is.
Your nemesis is not after money, territory or revenge. He is after a demonstration, and you are the person he has chosen to prove his point on.
Your nemesis respects you, which sounds flattering until you work out what it means. He chose you because nobody else was worth his time.
Your nemesis has no personal interest in you whatsoever, and that is precisely what makes him unsurvivable. You are not a rival. You are a stop on the way.
This is another case where the Netflix numbers and the reviews don't have much in common. Unabomber currently sits at just 26% on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences a little kinder at 54%. Crowe has been one of the brighter spots, with even some mixed reviews singling out his performance. Tremblay, whose performance has been singled out for praise even amongst those negative views, revealed his approach heading into the film while speaking to Tudum ahead of the release. The young star felt it imperative to put some humanity into what viewers were going to end up seeing on screen.
“I really wanted to make sure I went into this role playing him as a real person. I wanted him to feel real. I drew from my own personal experiences of what it feels like to be involved in a career where I’m surrounded by a lot of people who are older than me, and that feeling of not fitting in a bit.”
Unabomber is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.
Unabomber is streaming now exclusively on Netflix
